Jim:
I agree with you that when someone has information of a chip find, that they should not lie or otherwise mislead about the quantity of chips that might be available. BUT, the "old Jimbo" that used to be rather outspoken back in the days of the Prodigy bulletin board, and even in the earlier days of Greg's board, would have said that it should be up to the buyer to do his own research
about chips. I can't quote your older postings word for word, but perhaps you will agree that you used to say, and very often, that someone considering
buying an old chip should get busy and ask questions, do his own "digging" to
find out about that chip. So, unless your stance has taken a sharp turn, it almost seems contradictory that you suddenly agree that it is all right when someone writes to an E-Bay bidder in the middle of an active auction. Why should someone attempt to undermine an auction in progress? Why shouldn't that bidder do his own chip research first? I've seen E-Bay bids at $25 to $30 for a chip when I have had the same chip on my own list for $10. But, I would never write to the bidder and interfere with an auction. The E-Bay Chip Police have done so in some instances where fantasy or imitation chips were misrepresented, but that is an entirely different situation.
Best, Don