It’s fair to say that humans love to collect things.
Since a young age, we’re taught that having property and valuables is one clear way to add value to our own lives, and to define ourselves as individuals. Whether it’s with makeup, clothes, cars or jewels, plenty of people all around the world dedicate themselves to accumulating wealth and growing their favorite collections.
Some people choose to collect sentimental items, like Polaroid pictures, love letters or poems. Others may opt to collect items that have supposed value (remember when everyone thought that Beanie Babies were going to pay their college fees?) or items that have literal value, like designer clothes or gemstones.
However, there are some people who travel down a more niche path when it comes to collection. There are those who spend their lives hunting specific, rare collectables that can only be found with considerable effort. One particular type of collection that has picked up in popularity recently is poker chip collection.
Today, we’re going to be taking a look at Paul Schaffer- who currently holds the world record for the biggest poker chip collection, according to the Guinness World Records. It’s a fascinating story, and shows the length that people will go to to prove their love for the gaming world.
Do people really collect poker chips?
If you’re not a gambling fan, it may seem odd that people collect gambling and poker memorabilia. However, it’s an incredibly popular form of collection, and you’ll be able to find many people all around the world who enjoy getting their hands on chips.
There are so many different types of chips , all with different values and styles. Every different casino will surely have a different type of chip, and this will become even more obvious if you travel from state to state or even from country to country.
We’re sure to see this type of collecting become even more popular as gambling becomes more popular, which is great. Gambling is working its way into the hearts of the masses all around the world, so we’re likely to see some incredible new casinos popping up in the coming months- with unique chip designs to collect as well.
Who is Paul Schaffer?
Paul Schaffer is an avid gambling fan, and a collector of poker chips. He’s based in the United States, and most of his collection revolves around poker chips from America. Paul has received a lot of attention and praise for his collection, and his devotion to finding as many different unique poker chips as he can.
What types of poker chips does Paul have?
Paul lists out the different states that he has collected poker chips from, which all range in design and color palette. The states that he has collected chips from are;
● Minnesota
● Missouri
● Oklahoma
● Iowa
● Mississippi
● Louisiana
● Illinois
● Wisconsin
● Las Vegas
He is also currently on the lookout for chips from a number of different states, including the ones that have just been listed.
Who has Paul’s collection been recognized by?
As you may have guessed from Paul’s title and popularity, his collection has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records. The website lists his achievement date as 22nd June 2019, and notes that (at the time of writing) his collection consists of 802 unique poker chips- which is a simply astronomical number.
Something that is shown to be admirable about Paul is that he wishes for collecting poker chips to be an even bigger hobby than it is already. He clearly has a lot of love for what he does, and wants more people to enjoy it in the way that he does.
How can you find out more about Paul’s collection?
If you’re looking for more information about Paul and his incredible collection, you can find more on his website here. He lists all of the poker chips that he has, and also notes which ones that he is currently looking for so that he can expand his collection even further.
There are also a number of unique chips for sale on his website too, which is great. If you’re a collector, it could be a wonderful way to boost your collection.
Where can you find great poker chips online?
Of course, it’s not just Paul’s site that sells poker chips and chip sets.
In fact, there are some incredible gambling retailers online who would be more than happy to help you out. If you’re looking for some inspiration on what premium poker chip sets to buy, this handy guide from Gambler’s Daily Digest is a great place to start.
To sum up
Collecting poker chips is a popular pastime amongst collectors, antique hunters and avid gamblers. There are so many unique casinos and gambling hubs all around the world that there are truly some intriguing gambling chips to seek out and track down.
Collections like this can inspire travel, competition and even discourse amongst communities- as people get very personally invested when they’re trying to finish a collection. If you’re looking to start out with a poker chip collection, why not reach out to a local community online or head to the nearest casino to see what they advise.
Paul’s dedication to his collection is certainly admirable. The number of poker chips that he has is undoubtedly impressive, and we’re sure that it will continue to grow over the years. He clearly has a true passion for what it is that he does, and the gambling community is cheering him on to help his collection expand even further.
It’ll be interesting to see whether there are any people in the year of 2020 who try to come for Paul’s title as the man with the world’s biggest poker chip collection. There are many people who enjoy making collections like this, so it will be intriguing to follow this story as the current year progresses and more people have a chance to build out their collections.