How were Counters Made?
Gaming counters were made by cutting pieces out of a shell, grinding off the outer surface, and then carving or engraving the design onto the counter.
Counters were made in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, which was known to Europeans and Americans as Canton. There, carvers had small shops where they carved or engraved mother-of-pearl. One nineteenth century visitor described such a shop;
“We afterwards inspected some carvings in mother-of-pearl, which were beautifully executed. The carving is deep and rich. This is surprising, as the instruments used by the workmen are of a most primitive kind.”[i]