Von,

I have tried it all on eBay at one time or another. I have purchased and sold cheap chips, mid-level chips and high end chips. I also liquidated a high end antique bamboo fly rod collection on eBay two years ago.

My experience is this. If the item is TRULY a unique collectible, you are going to have a hard time beating what the item will bring on eBay, be it chips, fly rods or just about anything else for that matter. And I have never, ever had a problem on a signifigant transaction, be it buy or sell. Those seem to almost always go off without a hitch.

The run of the mill common item, however, can be another story. When I first started collecting, I decided to try and buy very good to excellent examples of the chips I wanted. You should see some of the CRAP I received that was described as "mint" or "excellent". I used to try and straighten it out with the sellers, but if they were not real chippers, it almost always was a chore.

I also learned quickly that on eBay, where there is even a tiny bit of smoke, usually there is a pretty big fire. More than a couple of recent negative feedbacks should sound off alarm bells.
If I had an important auction, I would limit the bidding to buyers with solid track records.

I think you are on to something......if I wanted to sell a couple of plain 'ole chips that I knew would be welcomed by the folks here, I would sell them here. You may get a little less, but you strike me as the kind of guy who would be just as happy helping someone acquire a chip they really want. That is better than a few extra bucks.

I guess I have a bit of a soft spot for eBay because without it, chipping here (NY) would be a bit difficult....