Masterplay Interface vs. Wico Keypad

[RangerG]

Everyone always talks about the Masterplay Interface being the "Holy Grail" of 5200 finds/buys. It would easily be my #1 want for the Atari 5200. I have been watching for one for some time. However, the other 5200 item I really want (and everyone wants) is the Wico keypad. I see a Masterplay Interface on Ebay fairly often (once a month), but I haven't seen a Wico keypad for some time. I almost think the keypad is rarer (Digital Press says it is a 6 and the Masterplay gets a 7). I understand the M.I. being more useful and costing more, but what do think about actual rarity?

[NE146]

Well I'll tell you this much, I bought the Wico 5200 joystick when I was a kid and would have EAGERLY bought the wico keypad as well. But I NEVER saw it for sale anywhere. I bought the joystick out of a Sears or JCPenny catalog but they didn't have the keypad. And aside from Wico brochures, have never ever seen it anywhere else.

 

This sort of sucked when I was a kid, because although my 5200 wico stick worked great, I couldn't start many of the games because all the "start" buttons on my 5200 joysticks didn't work! (yes I fixed it later in life)