Nearly worthless by themselves, clay poker chips can be worth a fortune to a skilled Texas Hold'em player who knows how to make his bets. The currency of any real life poker game, whether on your back deck or in a flashy brick-and-mortar casino, chips are an easy medium for money when tossing bills around the table is inconvenient.

You’re likely to find fewer actual clay poker chips outside of a casino, as most common chips are made of plastic. However, there’s just something about the feel and weigh of a clay poker chip that makes you feel a little like a high roller.

More to it than clay
In reality, clay poker chips like the kind you find at casinos aren’t made entirely of clay anymore like they were in the 60s and 70s. Every company’s recipe is slightly different, but most modern chips are made of ceramic with a little clay added for texture.

While not incredibly useful in online poker, unless you like the visceral feel of keeping score or exercising your chip tricks before the computer, most online sites keep track of your winnings with virtual chips.

No forgery please
Since poker chips stand in for real money, the casinos have them made with hard-to-replicate graphic designs and patterns around the edge. Exactly how “clay” poker chips are made is a trade secret, but they are mass produced using high-pressure molding machines. Casinos want their chips to be just as hard to counterfeit, if not more difficult, than legal tender bills and coins.

Just remember the most important thing about clay poker chips the next time you’re winning big at the casino: use one to tip the dealer.