Here is my take on your plight Matt ... and I'm sure there are those who will disagree (as usual).

You were in a uniquely coincidental situation where you were selling rare chips at just about the same time that similar chips were reported by another chip collector as being stolen in a home burglary. Had not the stolen chips been reported on this message board, I don't think that anyone would have questioned you as to how many of them you had in your possession. Personally speaking; I take the position that it's nobody's business how many chips I have; how many chips I've purchased from whom; what I paid for them; or how many I've sold. "Does Macy's tell Gimble's??"

There are some chip dealers who try to protect their customers investment. Other than at auction, such as ebay ... if they sell customer "A" a chip that is fixed-priced at "Y" ... they not going to sell it for less to customer "B" and make for bad customer relations. How much someone charges for their chips is their business, and their business only. Does anyone think that a chip dealer is obligated to divulge how many of a particular item he/she has got in inventory? I may divulge that information as a matter of courtesy to a friend or to a customer who requested such information ... but probably not to someone who is on a public search and destroy fishing expedition.

O.K. .... let the other's comments fly!

BTW Matt; Are you still thinking about joining the club? I sincerely hope so.