I also only pay high p/h fees when the chip or token is something that I really want bad. Also, when I do decide to pay for a higher s/h rate I post a lower bid on the chip than I otherwise would. In the end, the price I am willing to bid is determined, partly by all costs that have to be paid, including shipping. We should all understand what is going on here and that the seller is usually just trying to squeeze out a little more money. Therefore, like I said, I will pay less up front. I have gotten a few chips at face and paid $2.50 for postage because others won't bid at all. I recall one the other day where I did pay $3 something for postage and only face for an uncirculated $5 LE chip.

As for what is fair, this is my opinion. Considering the actual postage, ??? .75 and a padded envelope, about another .50 and the trip to the post office I consider $1.50 to be more than fair. I will go for a little more here or there. Also, consider the persons s/h policies and if they will ship multiple items with one shipping fee. You should be able to get maybe 3 tokens or 5 chips in one envelope for one fee. I think I found one time that 4, maybe it was 5 chips, in a paddded envelope, cost the same postage as 1 chip. Also consider if the seller is demanding or providing insurance or Priority Mail etc. If you are willing to pay more to have insurance or get the chip/token sooner than remember that those services do rightfully cost more. If the seller is sending Priority or Insured I will allow more. Shipping of over $2 for standard un-insured postage of 1 or 2 chips or tokens is excessive and even more is unreasonable.

Something that I would like to mention here that may be a little off topic but valuable for new sellers to know. I won an auction for 10 NYNY $1 chips a couple weeks ago. The seller packaged them in 3 chip or 4 chip stacks. 2-3chip and 1-4chip. Stacking them like this was probably good in that it provides a little more density and less liklyhood of damage. The chips will support and protect each other. I think? The problem was, he taped them with scotch tape and I noticed some minor lifting of the image off of the top and bottom chips. A couple specks here or there. Knowing of the potential for damage I carefully untaped them and was able to minimize the damage. Out of 10 chips only, maybe 3 were at all damaged. I would like to point out that if shipping multiple chips in one envelope, while it might be good to stack them in this way, DON'T PUT TAPE DIRECTLY ON A CHIP. Take a small piece of paper and wrap each stack. Set the chips off center and pull a corner over the chips and roll over. Fold in the sides and roll again. Then TAPE THE PAPER. Either that, or use small ziplock bags or flips(?)if you can. Setting the chips in a row on an old piece of file folder and taping the side and ends is good too. There are many ways to package your sales equally as safe. Use some thought though and avoid anything that might damage a chip. I have also received many loose chips in a padded envelope with little if any problems. the only potential problem other than the normal, minimal chance of a broken chip, would be loose chips or tokens scratching or scuffing other loose chips or tokens. That is why, I guess, most people will try to wrap the chips in some way.

I must say, I have never had any problem with most people I bought from. Especially not experienced collectors or dealers here on the Chipboard. My guess is the guy I bought from was just not that experienced, specifically, with casino chips. Most of the times, as I said above, I have received my chips flat on a small piece of cardboard, lined up and taped on the ends. Like a little, rigid, envelope. Then they were put in a padded envelope. I do have to credit the above mentioned seller for at least putting the chips in a padded mailer.

These are just my thoughts, Hope the information helps.