If you are a poker chip collector, it is important to learn how to identify authentic casino poker chips. Not knowing what to look for and how to identify it can result in your losing hundreds, even thousands of dollars. This how-to guide is intended as a basic source of information on how you may accomplish this task.

Step 1:

The first step to identifying authentic casino poker chips is to know and understand as much as you possibly can about the chips, and the casino that you have taken an interest in. While it is true that many casinos are owned by large scale companies, each one has a set of chips that is specific and unique to them. This is basically due to the fact that there is a certain amount of funding per casino that backs each chip that is part of that casino. This is why most casinos do not honor chips that have been issued at other casinos. There are rare exceptions to this rule, and casinos in Nevada, Las Vegas are generally the exception.

Step 2:

It is important to understand that authentic casino poker chips are created in such a way that security features are incorporated into the actual chip. If artwork is integrated into the design of the chip, it will be of the highest quality. In addition to this, there are usually many different combinations used in the way of colors on the edges of the chips. These are referred to as "edge spots". In order to identify whether or not poker chips are authentic to a particular casino, it is absolutely vital to ensure that you know the artwork and edge spots that are unique to that particular casino.

Step 3:

When in the process of learning as much as you possibly can regarding poker chips that are specific to one casino, you must learn as to whether or not there are UV markings on the piece. These are typically visible on the inlay of the product. Many of the poker chips that you will be able to collect will have been used in conjunction with a technology that is referred to as "RFID".

This stands for "Radio-Frequency Identification". There are machines that can place a tag that is common to this technology onto poker chips for the sake of securing and ensuring that they are authentic. If you are determining if a chip you are dealing with is authentic, you can attempt to determine if there is a "RFID Tag" associated with it. If there is, special equipment can be used to identify it.

Step 4:

There are casinos that released limited editions and special themed poker chips throughout the year. If you are a collector, it is in your best interest to ensure that you are familiar with these releases. This will help to ensure as to whether or not you are dealing with poker chips that are authentic.