They were sold as whist counters -- for playing in that old card game. I have an original box with a nice picture of them being used by men and women in that card game. A number of those wire rings with holed chips came in the box. I'll try to find it ... ...... .....those in the picture are bone I believe. ... ... Those counters in pool halls were similar, -- but straight, long, thick rods and "chips", larger than the whist ones.
Robert