Plastic chess sets

Plastic sets are not generally collectible, nor do they typically increase in value over time. There may be a couple of isolated exceptions, which I'm not aware of, but that would be rare.

The only plastic set that I am aware of that has become a collector's item is the Cavalier #1491 by Pacific Game Co. set. People have paid upward of $150USD for this set in good or better condition. I bought that set (new) in 1989 and still have it. I comment on it, including photos, at the end of this blog article....(search "1491"). Included is a video of Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov using the #1491 set and a photo of former World Champion Bobby Fisher playing Larry M. Evans (former U.S. Chess Champion) using a #1491 set...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/chess-sets-for-club-tournament-play

Note "Cavalier" refers to the style of the knight (i.e., the Cavalier knight), the design of which can occasionally be found in other sets.

Also check out this chess.com forum post regarding the Cavalier #1491 set. Note that the OP (@Ronbo710 ) in post #7, indicates that an original "Windsor Castle" plastic set could/should be valuable...

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/cavalier-1491-tournament-set

Windsor Castle Chessmen--An American Classic (by @cgrau )....there is a photo of a young Bobby Fischer with the set (post #4)...

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/windsor-castle-chessmen-an-american-classic

I remember a Windsor Castle set that sold for just under 1,000 $ US. That was a few years ago.

I found one still in its plastic wrap. So far I have kept it unopened. No idea of the condition of the pieces inside.

In my collection I have numerous plastic sets that I enjoy. There’s the ‘70’s Dutch-made Homas Ivora sets, the ‘50’s Australian-made Bakelite sets, the 1967 Cavalier #1940, the two-toned Danish Union pieces, a Spanish set …

… the are valuable to me (as enjoyable pieces, as opposed to monetary wise) and as a collector, they’ll be staying with me for a while yet.

I don’t think plastic sets with value are as rare as you think. The Austrian Coffee House plastic set goes for around $160. The Varna Olympiad bakelite set goes for over $100 for ones from the ’70s and ’80s, but $300 for one from the ’60s.

The Soviet Molodets often go for around $100 or more. The non-modular Soviet ‘Olympic’ set goes for around $140, but the modular version usually goes for $200 or more.

A bakelite Soviet Staunton (Club set) from the ’40s in pristine condition can be highly valuable. I don’t know how much they go by, but Chess Praxis recently acquired the set below, which he paid quite a lot for. No kidding—look how beautiful!

@WandelKoningin -

Thank you for providing that information. I was not aware of it.

wow thats fantastic

Everyone on this site was given or bought a set of plastic Chess pieces. Some may bring back memories of the person that gifted it. Some might have been used in a memorable game.

If lost or damaged, those pieces are not always easy to replace.

Either for sentimental value or interesting design, plastic pieces are collectible!

E S Lowe set. Weighted, felted. 3 1/4” king.

If one takes care of those plastic pieces so that they are still around they may be not only collectible but cherished antiques. For ones grandchildren when they´ve grown up.

I tend to collect vintage plastic sets from the 50s and 60s. Sets like the Ganine Gothic, Kingsway Florentine, Classic Games Ancient Rome, and Renaissance chessmen are fun and unique, and legible enough to play with. They certainly aren't valuable as an investment (they all sell in the $30-100 range), but they are valuable to me as entertainment.

One plastic set I consider priceless is my late father's. It's a knockoff of the Renaissance chessmen made by a Hong Kong company called Roxy. The black King stands at a slight tilt due to a slightly imperfect repair to the base weight. Resale value is practically nothing, but it's the set I learned to play with and my favorite set to this day.

Some themed plastic chess sets are valuable, especially ones that intersect with another collector community. For example, a limited-edition chess set that is officially licensed by Coca Cola, Disney, or Lego can go for hundreds of dollars on the auction sites.

I'm no expert but it seems that some of the older Drueke plastic sets are quite collectible.