It all depends how these people/dealers/collectors define New or Unused. I too have purchased/traded for many chips that I was told were Mint, New, Unused, Straight from the Cage. I collect uncirculated $5 HArd Rock chips and have had many problems with the early issue chips. Some of these people either had someone else pick them up at the casino, picked them up themselves after the release date, or had bought them from someone else who said they were from the cage. Now from the cage, the same day they were issued is differenet than from the cage a week or so after they were released. I have been told by some dealers that "This chip is new, unused, and while it may have rounded edges that is the way they got it from the cage. Or "This is the way all these chips are in new condition." "So it must be mint/new." The bottom line is too many chippers, cannot differeniate uncirculated chips from ones that are slightly used to one that is average. If you have no clue, buy a magifying glass/loop. Look at the edges, if the cross thatching is worn it ain't uncirculated. And certainly if the edges are worn it been handled.