Chas, Robert....I agree with you on the reserve auctions. I don't like them either but decided in this case, it was warranted. The only reason I placed reserves on these items is that they were offered here on the BB WITH the prices I wanted, all BELOW book value and I didn't even have a question about them. When I decided to try ebay, I was not about to sell a chip for $125 that cost me $400+ or had a $500+ "value"!!
I don't agree that someone who bid $125 on a reserve auction would have bid $350 or more on the chip if that's what the reserve was. Most people are wise enough to know that you should bid what you'd want to pay for an item and forget it till the auction is over. If you get it at a bargain, great, if not you can feel good in the fact that it sold for HIGHER than you would have paid for the item if it weren't at auction! "Auction Fever" only hits those new to auctions, not those of us who have been involved with them for a number of years. The only way someone "experienced" in auctions MAY overbid on an item is if it's a key piece to their specialty. In my case that would be a Caesars chip I do not have and want. The reason for the initial post was to point out the fact that the bids were no where even CLOSE to ANY "book" values or throwing out the books, what anyone who's been in the hobby for awhile knows these chips are worth. I was beginning to think it was personal . It will be interesting to see if this trend continues.