Gaming chips have been made from a wide range of materials in an almost infinite variety of styles since the birth of gambling and the need to keep track of winnings.
The most common material types used today in the manufacture of modern poker chips are plastic, clay composite, and acrylic composite. Clay chips, the oldest of the bunch, have been manufactured in America since the late 1800s.
Back in the 1800s, poker players seemed to use any small valuable object imaginable. Early poker players sometimes used jagged gold pieces as well as chips – primarily made of wood and clay. By the 20th century, poker chip designs began to play a greater prominence, and the smooth edges of older chips gave way to chips with engraved slits to keep them neatly stacked together. Most recently, affordable plastic poker chips appeared in the 1940s.
There is no doubt that poker has grown steadily in popularity ever since its origin in the 1800s. With the explosive growth of online gaming and specialty TV shows, public interest in poker has accelerated faster than ever before.
Many people are first introduced to poker by TV shows such as Bravo’s “Celebrity Poker Showdown” or the Travel Channel’s “World Poker Tour,” and many will play their first hands online.
Despite online poker’s rise, nothing replaces the feeling of shuffling heavy clay poker chips in your hand, throwing chips into the center of a casino table, or stacking tall piles of chips after showing a victorious hand.
The History of Clay Poker Chips
For the last 75 years, clay chips have not actually been constructed out of pure clay. Actual clay chips were used in the United States during the late 1800's; however, these easily broken chips were quickly replaced by clay filled composites that provided much greater durability and security.
The Recent Phenomenon of Futon Bunk Beds
Futon bunk beds are a recent phenomenon, and have their roots in the natural evolution of futons. In recent years, futons have significantly improved in style, quality and comfort. In fact, futons have evolved from the tri-fold frame designed for college dormitories to more appealing, sofa-style sleepers with custom pillows and covers.
Kids’ Bunk Beds: How to keep your child safe.
Kids’ bunk beds are by far the most common types of bunk beds. Bunk beds were created for more functional, adult-oriented sleeping purposes, and one recognizable example of these bunk beds is the kind used in the military. The rise of kids bunk beds’ popularity is due to their ability to combine entertainment with functionality – they get kids excited to go to sleep.
