It is funny how in life you can go from one extreme to another. One minute things are sailing your way and the next your capsized.

Both of these recent experiences involve eBay auctions.

The Good: A couple of weeks ago, I put up for auction a couple of the last issue Sands $1 chips, the blue and orange versions. Minimum bid was $4.99 on each chip, no reserve. Two guys got into a bidding war and bid the blue chip up to about $100 and the orange chip to almost $200. The same guy got both and was glad to win and paid promptly. I thank my lucky stars.

The Bad: Tonight I won an auction for a lot 5 $1 chips. The entire text of the auction lot was "See picture. Buyer pays shipping." I had no previous dealings with this seller. The auction ended and I was the high bidder at $10.51. The seller emailed me saying "Please send $14.00 shipped without insurance, $15.00 with." (Both quotes are verbatim from the seller.) It seems to me that I am paying just a little more than for the postage here. I charge winning bidders for the actual postage charges, not for any packaging or handling. The postage here would be .77 cents and an optional .85 for insurance. I would charge only $1.62. This guy wants $4.49. For a lot that only sold for $10.51, this is just rediculous. I offered to send a self addressed, prepaid bubble mailer with the payment instead. I haven't heard back yet, but hopefully this will work out all right.

Do you think this guy is out of line or I am just cheap?