CT,

You are a pillar of the collector community and I have a great deal of respect for you. My message must be unclear, though, because your example supports my position completely.

Car dealers have "inventory reduction" sales specifically to get rid of high inventory cars by lowering prices!! The general public only has to walk the lot to see what cars the dealers have excess inventory of and know they have bargaining power.

Basic economics of Supply and Demand.

The only difference is chip dealers don't show their inventory, but divulging inventories is not what I was discussing, nor the Code of Ethics addressing.

You are correct in your point regarding divulging your or my inventories, as NO ONE is entitled to know how many chips you or I have in our inventory.

If though, a member is selling a chip (for example) that the member lists as rarity R9 and states only 4-7 known while the member "knows" that they have in their inventory 100 of them or more.... IMHO that is worse than a car salesman and of the most immoral, unjust and unfair acts. This infraction has nothing to do with divulging inventory, it is plain deception at its worst form.

The CC & GTC has a Code of Ethics. All members are required to follow the rules that comprise the Code, whether we like it or not. This code is based on the honor system, as we are Self Governing for the most part.

If anyone chooses to violate the most basic foundations of the club and knowingly mislead and deceive collectors as to "rarity" of chips, no one can stop that member, obviously. But make no mistake. The actions are still a violation of the Code and are pretty lousy. Members should notify the seler of the find so they may "update" their item to accurately reflect the items.

I had to do this with my Gold Dust chips when I was informed of the find. Sure it smarts, but it is the right thing to do.

Hopefully behaivior as listed above is not widespread among club members. Otherwise if it was and I am just naive, the Code of Ethics which is the founding tenets of our organization is worthless and deception, not justice or fairness or morality, becomes the foundation.

I am not so naive to not realize that there will be independant acts by individuals guided by greed rather than the love of the hobby.

Money tends to do that.

This is a great hobby that has given me great pleasure and great friends. Lets watch out for each other and protect the best interests of the hobby.