I tend to disagree, Steve. Every time an aution (before ebay) set a new "record" for the price of a chip, guess what......that became the new selling point for that chip if a dealer or dealers had one to offer. If they sold it LOWER, guess what.......the selling push was "do you know what the last one of these brought at auction??...you're getting a heck of a deal!"
Now that the shoe is on the other foot so to speak, everyone is saying "the price you pay on ebay is way too low for that chip, etc., etc. Guess what.....if it really was too low, and dealers KNEW FOR SURE they could sell it for more at a show, mail list or private auction......they'd buy it themselves!