... on the underbidder issue. If an eBay seller wants to tie up more than one bidder, he can do so by posting a dutch auction. Otherwise, bidders other than the winner are fair game for anyone to contact (though I'm sure eBay doesn't like it).

As for scan thefts, I have said before that I think it sucks. On the other hand, a simple scan of a chip with no artistic improvement is probably NOT copyrightable. Furthermore, if there is any copyright interest, it is probably held by either the casino or the manufacturer of the chip (as I recall, Gene has advised us in the past that the manufacturers retain the copyright interest in the chip designs).

Which leads to the Devil's Advocacy question I asked once before, how many of the sellers of chips who use scans of casino chips for commercial purposes have obtained permission from the copyright holder to do so? It is probably a permissible "fair use" to scan a chip which is being offered for sale, if no other use is made of the scan. Any other use of a scan (such as decorating a commercial website) is almost certainly a copyright violation.

Not meaning to particularly pick on Pete, but using his site as an example: there are nine images on the home page alone which are probably subject to copyright, trademark or service mark protection. Pete's site is a commercial site, since he is selling chips. So, Pete, did you get permission to use any of those images? Just wondering. ----- jim o\-S