OK. Here's the final scoop, at the moment. First I sure don't look at this transaction as "taking" the chip from the buyer. He could have easily reasearched this chip BEFORE putting it up for auction. I am simply making an offer in the form of a bid. Actually I didn't expect to win the chip, figuring others would bid higher than I did. Please also note that the seller DID NOT cancel the auction, or cancell any of the bids, but let the auction run its course according to E-Bay.

How many chips have you bought where you paid full price right out of the book, never negotiated, or hoped to find a bargain or work a great trade. An auction is an auction, put up your item and HOPE for the best. If only one person bids one dollar then that is what the buyer should expect. You take your chances. If he wanted full price, then SELL, don't auction, or at least put a minimum on it.

Now for the best part. It looks like I'm not getting the chip anyway. The seller has sent me an e-mail, now saying that the chip didn't belong to him in the first place.(stolen?) Once a family members found out he was trying to sell it on E-Bay, his brother wanted it back. So now he says he doesn't even have the chip to sell. Hard to believe the story - sure is. He claims he explained the situation to E-Bay and they understood.(ha, ha)

If nothing else, it's made for a great thread. Yes E-Bay will receive a complaint just so they know what is going on. Granted it is useless to sue for the chip. But as I said earlier I didn't expect to win it in the first place, I sure thought the bidding would go higher. Where were all the other bargain hunters? It's been fun.