Rene- In all due respect I have to disagree with you. Please don't take this as an "Attack". That is not how it is intended. Frankly, as a reletive newbee to chip collecting, I appreciate alot of the stuff that seems to offends you. I like the heads up on a questionable auction. I also appreciate the discussions of what is a fair price for a new LE chip or what is fair for shipping and handling. These exchanges are rarely as personal as you imply. They are probably some of the most constructive topics that we can address. Up there with how to store and display your chips. If people are so thin skinned that they can't handle some constructive debate or discussion on problems with the hobby than I am sorry. We should not, as you imply, turn our backs and close our eyes to the unethical or unfair practices of some sellers on eBay or elsewhere. There are proper and fair ways to sell items. That is a legitimate discussion for this forum. If we ignore problems in fear of turning away fellow collectors, than we are all destined to eventually be ripped off. Personally, if that happens, That is what will cause me to leave the hobby. If someone is charging $4 for mailing 1 chip than I would hope someone would notify this community and tell the seller. I personally wouldn't buy from a seller who abuses his/her customers like that. I can't believe that you would ignore that. If the seller is notified of such grievences and he/she ignores us or comes accross as one who is unfairly taking advantage than we owe it to all our friends here to inform them. If after being informed buyers choose to buy anyways, That is their choice and right.

As for people not posting a heads up on a new reliese? I do not know what you are talking about. I see them here all the time. Many times they are posted by the casinos. The hastles that some of them get is when they publish their policies for limits etc. and people get offended by the preferences given to others and the unreasonable limits put on them. If I were in a position where I were privy to a new release that hasn't been promoted publicly, I might not post a heads up, not because I do not want to be friendly or that I want to hoard some chips but because I would be afraid that if one person with the wrong motives heard about it I could show up at the cage to get NOTHING. The problem with your statement about this is that it does not have anything to do with most collecters. It has to do with a few unfair people who are not into this hobby as collectors. They are in it for the amount of money they can take us for.

I do agree though that posting inflamitory name calling, and accusatory posts here as a first resort is probably ill advised. However, if someone sees an ad on eBay and sends a response to a seller, then that seller ignores the mail or gives attitude back, than so be it. I appreciate anyone who will advise us of these questionable auctions or sellers. Once we are armed with the proper information it is up to us to not buy. If there is a buyer out there that either ignores the warnings or is not privleged enough to know of this forum than that is too bad and it is their decisions that entered them into those transactions.

As for the tables at the convention, I am not that familiar with that but I would caution you not to simply assume that it is due to people not being interested in the hobby anymore or people who are displeased with the confrontations. I would guess that our current economy and Sept 11 may have something to do with it. Some people are still afraid or not ready to travel. Some maybe do not have the money to invest in traveling out to LV and buying a table etc. I have been reading posts here and elsewhere, there is a thread down a ways that addresses it, that deal with the concerns that some eBay sellers have about the few bidders that are bidding on their auctions. They are afraid that they are not going to recoup their investments and get the bidds that the items deserve. Is it because there are so many people who have quit collecting chips because they are upset with our fighting? I don't think so. I think it has to do with so many people selling because they need extra money and too few people who have the extra, discressionary (sp?), income to spend on things like hobbies, right now. Fewer buyers bidding on more items is going to naturally result in alot of unsold merchandise or fewer bidders per item offered. This is not just with Casino Chips etc. It is a problem with all kinds of items all accross eBay. Many sellers, knowing that it is a buyers market right now, are holding back on selling their high end or premium items with the hopes that the economy will turn around and they will again be able to get a fair return.

From some of the pictures I see in our Club Magazines, I see that quite a few members are older and maybe retired or may be near retirement. Others are hard working casino employees who are, if fortunate enough to be working, probably fearfull of what tomorrow will bring. Casino and hospitality employees are being layed off by the thousands. Some people who are invested in the markets are seeing their retirements, income and savings fizzle. I would guess that alot of the decline is due to the fact that some people do not have the ability to go forward with their chipping activities at this time. I hope things turn aroud soon. I wish everyone well and hope everyone begins, soon, to have a prosperous New Year. I have been getting dozens of offers for new chips from my dealers. As much as I want all of them I just can't right now. I personnally have only bought 2 chips since September. It is not because of all the fighting here. It is also not because the people I deal with are unfair. It is one reason only. I can not afford to buy every chip I want right now. That, is why, I think, people are holding off on buying tables.