<<It is a place where buyers without knowledge purchase from sellers with less knowledge ALL waddling in their little world of chips. Because an individual has deep pockets doesn't mean they have knowledge of what they are buying or selling.>>

So what you're saying here is that a seller wants $100 for a chip placed on ebay and there is a buyer for that chip at $100 that they are dumb?? Believe me Jim, if it were a $500 chip, it wouldn't sell for only $100! And whose to say that this magical $500 price set by supposed "knowledgeable" individuals is a reflection of "true value"? I always thought that true value for ANY item is what an individual with cold, hard cash is willing to spend for the item!

Your post also (in this example) seems to place too much emphasis on the amount of chips in the marketplace. That's simply not true. Do you think 40 El Morrocco chips would sell for the same price as 40 Bugsy chips?? Without going into much thought I'm sure even you <g> would agree with me that they would not!
In assessing the value of a chip, the number available is only ONE of the variables used to "assess" (give one's opinion) on "value". The others being location, (where it came from), and what I think is the most important, DEMAND!
When you say you "follow the Nevada chip market closer than I do", you are 100% correct since I don't live in Vegas (yet). I do hope that you mean tracking sales of Nevada chips when you mean follow the market, just not how many are known to exist and what dealers have them priced for in their binders!

Look at the recent find of 8 Treasure Bay Tunica 25¢ chips! That made a total of 9.......only 9! People here were calling individuals crazy for bidding $293 for that chip. For serious riverboat/Mississippi chip collectors this is the equivilent of finding a Bugsy chip!! At some point, people will have to recognize that Nevada isn't the only area with rare chips, granted though, they are in the most demand thus justifying the high prices.

I think we've beat the ebay value topic to death here on more than one occasion. The only other thing I can say is let's see what sells and for how much in the coming Super Bowl show and in May at the National.......
Then we can start all over again!!!<LOL>

Have a Happy & Safe New Year and enjoy the fireworks you lucky devil, you! I'll be stuck here most likely shovelling 12"+ of SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!