Why do major collectors here talk down the prices of games?

[deathtrappomegranate]

I said it before, I'll say it again, if you are in this for the money, you have already lost. And to people like Marco, or myself, you aren't a real collector. You will probably end up like most speed-collectors, selling in a couple of years.

These are words of wisdom.

 

Collecting Atari stuff as an investment is stupid. The current interest in Atari collecting is based upon nostalgia. Those of us of a certain age have a fondness for Atari because of the importance of that software and hardware in our lives, and we also have a degree of disposable income that allows us to indulge ourselves. However, we are all getting older, and the fans of Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Pokemon and the like are moving into the same demographic.

 

It might be that, in the future, new generations of computer and video game enthusiasts will realise the importance of Atari in the history of this cultural phenomenon, and will continue to value Atari arcana as much as we do. However, it's just as likely that no-one will care about Atari, and that future generations will be posting in the forums at PokemonAge.com.

 

In contrast to the original question, one might equally ask why "minor" collectors are "talking up" the prices of games. The experienced collectors have seen prices rising and falling over the years, and are probably well-placed to judge the true value of these items. As far as "talking up" goes, we've all been there. When you don't have a particular item, or have worked hard (or spent heavily) to get it, you are acutely aware of how difficult it is to obtain. When you did that years ago, you become more objective.

 

Low prices are good

[jboypacman]

Who collects Atari for profit? Thoses who are not true collectors/players of Atari thats who.They are the ones that jack up prices on this stuff on Ebay hoping to take advantage of people let them think that they are getting some "rare"or just hold a game hostage for the highest bidder.

 

I am a collector/player of Atari and other classic games and systems and but i cant afford to pay high prices for some of these games.So i like i said previously i feel the when "major collectors"talk down some of these prices it helps me and other like me out.

[shadow460]

I guess you could say this is my retirement fund. Hey, atleast I am honest about what I am trying to do.

 

You're overdoing your retirement, then. Atlantis II costs what, $1000? times two, that's 2 grand.

That same box you'll have under the bridge can be bought new for a buck at U haul, and the shotgun you'll need to defend yourself runs $300, which is less than one third the price of a single Atlantis II cart. Chosen between games and 401(k), my money's going into 401(k).

 

I'm new. I'll admit that. I collect, however, to have the opportunity to actually play the games. Sometimes I sit there and study the artwork on a game or I'll read through the manuals for the heck of it. I don't care what they are worth. River Raid II will always be worth 95 cents to me, because that's what I paid for it. Newer games will be worth what I paid, too. If that's $30 that I paid for a new game, and it happens to be worth $30 now, then awesome. If it's worth less, then I still don't care. I don't even really know how many game I have. I think I'm over 600 now for all systems combined, but 600 really snuck up on me.

 

Why do I collect? Hmm, because of it I have my choice of portable games I can take when I go somewhere. I have something to do in the evenings, and I talk to lots of people when I'm on the hunt.

I don't collect much from ebay, either. I've found probably 90% of my collection in the wild, right here around Oklahoma City.

 

Rarities? I've got almost a full set of Starpath games, I've got another almost full set of Sears picture labels, and I've got games up to rarity 6 here and there. Aw, who cares how rare they are? They're fun!

[homerwannabee]

Ok, here is the last thing I will say about why I Speculate/Invest/Collect. Fact is I do not make much money. While other people go on trips I spend that on Atari 2600. While others get new clothes I spend it on Atari. Why do I do this? Because, I will probably go nowhere in my life. I have resigned myself to the fact the I will probably always make just enough to scrap by. Buying this stuff gives me hope as a person that one day maybe my life won't be so strugling. This is the same reason that you see people buy the Lottery. They believe that theirs is the one in the 150 Million that will actually be the ticket to get them out of their poverty. I would probably be one of those habitual lottery buyers, but I am too rational of a person to ignore the fact that it is 1 in a 150 million. With the Atari 2600 I can atleast visually see a scenario where the video game market will turn into something that has happened previously to the comic market and the baseball card market. I also buy because this is one of the few things I can actually have a decent collection in. I honestly feel that I have one of the top 100 Atari 2600 collections in the United States. I can't think of another hobby where a person of my limited income can say something like that. And one more thing I really do love the Atari 2600. I truly believe it is the pinicle of game play. A time when what mattered was the game play, not how shiny and cool the graphics are. Ok, I am going to self impose a 5 year moretorium on certain things that I do here on atarage.

1. Speculate what some game will go for in price when it is on Ebay.

2. Speculate on what a game is worth. If you want to PM me and ask I will be glad to assist.

3. Defend one of my games value if someone starts to talk trash on it. Yes even the great Atlantis II with Docs.

4. Give the reason I Speculate/Invest/Collect.

I will still respond when a game sells for a certain price but I don't really count that as speculating. Believe it or not I believe the market is stronger than a ton of peope trying to talk up a price and I beleive the market is stronger than a ton of people trying to talk down a price. In the long run the market will always bear the truth no matter what people say. This is the last time I will post in this thread. So if you have some question, I will not respond to it in this thread. I think that some people here really believe that I am responsible for some of the high prices recently. By doing this it will show that it had nothing to do with me. If I slip up you guys got to get on my tail about my 5 year moretorium on this stuff.

[Crazy Climber]

I don't think you have anything to do with rising prices Homer, you have to be one of the people bidding to do that and as far as I know you don't even collect CIB stuff and thats what is crazy right now (the 2 loose rescue terras were people that just didn't know any better)

"Speed collectors" fighting over stuff and over paying just to get it now makes the prices high, once there credit cards are maxed out and they sell there collections I will be there to offer fair market price to them (not what they paid) since it will not be worth what they paid

The point I am getting at - Do not get in an Ebay bidding war over something you know will be availible again because you will overpay and lose money if and when you sell it someday, just relax, there will be another one for sale, there is always another one for sale Just my opinion.

[+remowilliams]

I guess you could say this is my retirement fund

This is the same reason that you see people buy the Lottery.

 

Both solid excellent investments in one's future. May I recommend hiding money in a sock as well?

[DeusExMachina]

I don't think you have anything to do with rising prices Homer, you have to be one of the people bidding to do that and as far as I know you don't even collect CIB stuff and thats what is crazy right now (the 2 loose rescue terras were people that just didn't know any better)

"Speed collectors" fighting over stuff and over paying just to get it now makes the prices high, once there credit cards are maxed out and they sell there collections I will be there to offer fair market price to them (not what they paid) since it will not be worth what they paid

The point I am getting at - Do not get in an Ebay bidding war over something you know will be availible again because you will overpay and lose money if and when you sell it someday, just relax, there will be another one for sale, there is always another one for sale Just my opinion.

 

Crazy Climber has an excellent point here. There are a few people who get caught up in bidding wars on eBay and end up paying more than an item s likely to be worth. I do wonder if they eventually feel some degree of buyers remorse. Also, a casual look at some of the posts on this site reveal that there are some people who are bidding over their budgets for items. You have to ask yourself how long that can last.

[DeusExMachina]

See Below...

Edited May 30, 2007 by DeusExMachina

[DeusExMachina]

Ok, here is the last thing I will say about why I Speculate/Invest/Collect. Fact is I do not make much money. While other people go on trips I spend that on Atari 2600. While others get new clothes I spend it on Atari. Why do I do this? Because, I will probably go nowhere in my life. I have resigned myself to the fact the I will probably always make just enough to scrap by. Buying this stuff gives me hope as a person that one day maybe my life won't be so strugling. This is the same reason that you see people buy the Lottery. They believe that theirs is the one in the 150 Million that will actually be the ticket to get them out of their poverty. I would probably be one of those habitual lottery buyers, but I am too rational of a person to ignore the fact that it is 1 in a 150 million. With the Atari 2600 I can atleast visually see a scenario where the video game market will turn into something that has happened previously to the comic market and the baseball card market. I also buy because this is one of the few things I can actually have a decent collection in. I honestly feel that I have one of the top 100 Atari 2600 collections in the United States. I can't think of another hobby where a person of my limited income can say something like that. And one more thing I really do love the Atari 2600. I truly believe it is the pinicle of game play. A time when what mattered was the game play, not how shiny and cool the graphics are. Ok, I am going to self impose a 5 year moretorium on certain things that I do here on atarage.

1. Speculate what some game will go for in price when it is on Ebay.

2. Speculate on what a game is worth. If you want to PM me and ask I will be glad to assist.

3. Defend one of my games value if someone starts to talk trash on it. Yes even the great Atlantis II with Docs.

4. Give the reason I Speculate/Invest/Collect.

I will still respond when a game sells for a certain price but I don't really count that as speculating. Believe it or not I believe the market is stronger than a ton of peope trying to talk up a price and I beleive the market is stronger than a ton of people trying to talk down a price. In the long run the market will always bear the truth no matter what people say. This is the last time I will post in this thread. So if you have some question, I will not respond to it in this thread. I think that some people here really believe that I am responsible for some of the high prices recently. By doing this it will show that it had nothing to do with me. If I slip up you guys got to get on my tail about my 5 year moretorium on this stuff.

 

Homer,

 

I don't know you personally, but you make it sound like life has defeated you already. You can change all of that by getting your priorities in order.

 

In order for video game prices to maintain a steady increase in values, you need many collectors with large disposable incomes and their priorities in order. If you are in this for the long term, you need to pay for the house, the cars, retirement, debts, investments, savings, education, family, vacations and other miscellaneous items before you spend large amounts on videogames. Because if you don't then those priorities will eventually intrude on your collection. Those are the reasons that eventually lead many people to sell their collections. When that happens, the same games are recycled through the marketplace. If purchased at too high a price they may be sold for less than they were purchased.

 

The classic videogame market is a poor place to invest in your future. It is a fact that alot of the games are not worth what people pay for them on eBay. It is probably fair to say that in the short term an item bought on eBay may be worth slightly more than what the third highest bidder was willing to pay. If the high bidder were to immediately relist the item, the second highest bidder would only have to outbid the third highest bidder by a small margin to win the item.

[CPUWIZ]

This is not directed at anyone personally, I just want to say to please not turn this thread into a "Let's bash homerwannabe" thread.

 

Thanks.

[raindog151]

I'm confused, so you're all saying the 9800$ I've invested in US AES games isn't a good investment?

[Atari2600Lives]

I do see many talking down carts for sure on this forum. I purchased a mint , sealed Motorodeo and I do not care if it came from venezuela etc. People are talking the cart down big time and I now it's rarer than an R5 Frogger II threedeep no matter what anyone tells me (Go on eBay now and you will find a frogger II guaranteed...anytime of day or night). I think in the end everyone should just lighten up and enjoy the hobby.

 

I also paid $1200 for a Pepsi Invader recently and I paid $600 for a Lochjaw and I feel great about it. I love Atari, I love collecting, I love having "rare" stuff and these carts qualify on all levels. I did it because I enjoyed it not for any future investment.

 

That being said, I do agree with the original poster about it happening, although I do not know the exact reason.

Edited May 30, 2007 by Atari2600Lives

[shadow460]

So lemme ask you, 2600lives, did you get to have some fun with Lochjaw and Pepsi Invaders? If so, then they were worthwhile purchases.

[Dusk2600]

I'm confused, so you're all saying the 9800$ I've invested in US AES games isn't a good investment?

 

 

i dont know what to say... it is a ton of money but if u got it and enjoy it then it was a good investment.

[Dusk2600]

other issue here is Everyone wants a deal, bartering is 1/2 the fun, & u dont know if that rare cart will be in front of you at a yard sale one day, this has happened 2 me many times. end up spending 80 on a game just to find it for 1.00 at a store or garage sale

Edited May 30, 2007 by Dusk2600

[raindog151]

i dont know what to say... it is a ton of money but if u got it and enjoy it then it was a good investment.

 

although it may be my fav system of all time, i apologize for not making the sarcasm more obvious. I've spent about 400$ so far on 6 mint condiiton games.

[Dusk2600]

i dont know what to say... it is a ton of money but if u got it and enjoy it then it was a good investment.

 

although it may be my fav system of all time, i apologize for not making the sarcasm more obvious. I've spent about 400$ so far on 6 mint condiiton games.

 

i had invested 1200 on neo geo last year, it is all gone now though

[raindog151]

i had invested 1200 on neo geo last year, it is all gone now though

 

gone as in sold, stored, or stolen?

 

I love the SNK so much.

[Dusk2600]

i had invested 1200 on neo geo last year, it is all gone now though

 

gone as in sold, stored, or stolen?

 

I love the SNK so much.

 

sold, i had the home system 25 games and the phantom 1 converter as well as a 2 slot 25 inch neo geo arcade with 20 of the arcade carts, for the home console i had metal slug 3,4 and 5 got 200 for each game

 

regret selling it.

[Dino]

Homer,

 

I hate to break it to you but the chances that this hobby will take off in the future. making your $ investment equal $$$$ is, at best, slim. You are collecting games primarily as an investment (judging by your posts on this forum, you spend a lot of time concerning yourself with perceived values of different games - something a collector-only like CPUWIZ or Marco wouldn't do). There is absolutely nothing wrong with that other than the fact that you are likely to be disappointed in the long run, as this hobby will never has the same level of interest as other hobbies like baseball card, matchbox cars etc. Even if it were to take off in a big way, the increase in value of your investment will probably not be as high as what you could make having the same money invested in stocks.

 

You are far better off spending your time analysing the stock market and carefully investing in stocks. In OZ, the stock price index has doubled in the last 5 years. If you had of invested in stocks, even a modest investment of, say, $10k would be worth $20k. By 2020, if you have a bit of luck, that $10k investment may be worth $60k. In the meantime, if you want to have a chance at hitting the big time, buy a lottery ticket each week as well. That way you can still live in hope of striking it rich and you've actually got more chance that way of getting rich than through Atari collecting.

 

I really think you should re-consider your investment strategy - for your own sake! That's not to say you have to turn your back on the hobby. There are still many ways you can be involved. Take Romhunter for example. He is more involved in Atari than 99.9% of people on this forum and he only owns 1 cart! You could maintain a small collection of commons, that are fun to play and have a Cuttle or Krok cart for a complete set or games.

 

Have a think about it. Now would be a great time to sell - prices a high and you can get good money for your collection. I'm not saying any of this to have a go at you or to upset you. But for your own sake i think you should reconsider your strategy.

[Shroo-man]

other issue here is Everyone wants a deal, bartering is 1/2 the fun, & u dont know if that rare cart will be in front of you at a yard sale one day, this has happened 2 me many times. end up spending 80 on a game just to find it for 1.00 at a store or garage sale

 

if you paid 80 and its worth that amount and find it for $1 then you can just sell the extra one for 80 so it would still cost a dollar. plus you get to keep the one in better condition for yourself. or maybe one of them is mint condition and the other one not so good, then you can have one for playing the other one you can stash away and not use so it wont get damaged.

[Michael_]

I´m with Homer here, but for a slightly different reason. Talking down the prices of Atari 2600 carts is at best based on a situation that doesn´t exist anymore. What person X paid for game Y two years ago doesn´t necessarily represent the current scenario.

It´s a somewhat misplaced courtesy to tell someone that you shouldn´t pay anymore than...say $500 for Atlantis II when you know that that person is never going to get his hands on it for that price (luck not being a factor here, of course).

 

An example. Let´s say I bought Magicard and subsequently Video Life back in the early eighties for $80 tops. Today I´d probably have to cough up $1.000+ or more to get the same games (used condition even).

So. Based on my what I paid for them and taking into account the inflation, does it make sense for me to tell someone that they shouldn´t pay more than $400 for them both, when I know it´s not rooted in the reality of today? Of course not.

 

Talking down the prices based on a very clear and recent pattern in the trade market is a different matter altogether though and would be considered a nice gesture. Talking up the prices based on patterns also is a pretty cool heads-up in my book, because I really hate to waste my time.

[Atari5200]

and that fact that most games put on ebay are followed by "RARE" doesn't help either. RARE Frogger 2600, RARE Pitfall 2600, it's pathetic. I probably will never pay in my lifetime more than $50 for a classic game, to date most I've spent is $26 on a 5200 game.

[chubsta]

and that fact that most games put on ebay are followed by "RARE" doesn't help either. RARE Frogger 2600, RARE Pitfall 2600, it's pathetic.

 

As someone who is just starting out again as a collector its a bit of a wind-up as i have to run soo many carts through the rarity database, only to find they are a 4 or under! I suppose i will get the hang of it eventually...

 

Like a few others above, I think that there is no real over/under-valuing going on, it is more to do with what has been described as the 'speed-collectors' who suddenly rediscover Atari and feel they must have everything for it in case it never turns up again. Personally i am currently setting max bids on ebay of around a couple of quid just to pick up what i can without breaking the bank...

 

BTWif anyone can point me to a nice cheap air-raid (cos its a hack etc etc) then i will be happy to give them a couple of quid for it.

[Michael_]

BTWif anyone can point me to a nice cheap air-raid (cos its a hack etc etc) then i will be happy to give them a couple of quid for it.

 

Not trying to talk up the prices here, but IIRC someone paid $3000+ for a copy of Air Raid not too long ago.