Again we reach the crossroads as to why it's ok for some to profit and be lauded for their actions(see recent auctions of Wynn, SDPM, GCR spotted tourney chips) and others to be ridiculed for testing the price point they wish they could get because they see new money that has just come into the hobby in the last year pushing prices sky high and they think a chip is a chip. In my opinion it's all our own fault.
I am not going to buy those chips either, but can't blame someone for asking what they want for them.
Ever heard the phrase 'Caveat Emptor'???
While I've mostly just been a buyer here thus far, I have resold a few chips that I changed my mind on. Some I've lost money on, others I've made money on, but none have I skinned anyone on. The way I see it, I'd sell anything I don't want to keep for full market prices unless I'm dealing with a friend or a member here that I at least somewhat know (of which there are several). However, I'm not looking to "flip" chips.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying something and selling it for a profit, but let's call a spade a spade. As you've pointed out, the recent Wynn chip auctions here are a prime example (and the SDPM chips). A few months back, a few racks of these popped up on
eBay and went for pretty cheap. I remember debating with a few members about whether or not they were Paulson or
BCC or what, and if we were going to buy them. Then, fast forward a couple of months to today, and there are magically thousands of these chips hitting our forums by several different members. All the members I've seen who showed up with these are long time members that are well connected to the community. Surely, someone "in the know" found these and decided they were too good of a deal to post them here as some sort of chip room style offering and kept them under wraps until they were all bought and accounted for. Then, they start selling here for HUGE money (see the recent raffle where a set of 260 went here for $2000). And several other sets selling for big money as well. Again, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with this from my viewpoint. The market is what the market is, and I think it's fair to sell things at market pricing. But let's just not pretend that this is a forum where we are all obligated to "hook each other up" so-to-speak. I don't know how much all you Wynn chippers paid for these, but I'd bet my right nut it was less than $2 per chip, and it was probably much less than that.
I won't mention any names, but this reminds me of another set of very commonly sold chips for which the $1s are considered to be elusive and sell at a premium. However, someone has photos of having huge plastic totes of these $1s. There must be 10k+ of those "rare" chips in those totes.
Some people here are hobbyists and just like to collect. Some are just poker players who want something to play with. Others are hobbyists who have turned their chipping into a business. We all share the same arena here.
If I buy a rack from someone for say $200, I'm probably buying it for a set that I'm trying/hoping to put together. If later I decide that I don't want them, I'll be selling them at whatever the market price is (unless they're a rare set and the person I got them from wants them back - in which case, they get the "friend" pricing).
But if I find some crazy deal on
eBay because someone listed 493 Protege chips for $76 (
see link), or I happen to get an awesome deal from an old chipper who has been out of the loop for 5 years and has no idea what today's prices are, then I'm under no obligation, moral or otherwise, to offer those chips back up to the community at the prices I paid for them.
