Here is my little shipping story, that left me feeling a little foolish somewhat. There is a moral here someplace.

It happened recently. I won the chip pictured below on eBay, for $31.00. The chip was shipped to Reciprocity Trading Co., Havana, Cuba, in 1937 by the US Playing Card Co., the chip manufacturer.

The seller wanted $5 or $6 from me for sending the one chip. I hit the ceiling. I complained that no one charges that for one chip. I said the chip could be sandwiched between two pieces of cardboard and tissue, and put into an envelope. I said that would cost 60¢ postage and $1.30 insurance. (I was paying by check.) The seller became annoyed with me, and in disgust, I guess, said I should send whatever I wanted. So, I sent $4.00 for insurance/postage/handling. When the chip arrived, I was surprised to see that the actual postage came to over $4.00. I guess he sent it the way he sends everything -- priority mail with delivery confirmation!

I guess the moral might be that a lot of people do things their own way (expensive as it may be) and are not out to take advantage of you. And that you can't predict every situation in advance. People can fool you.

Robert