ACML Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) There does not seem to be any shortage of 8-bit hardware on Ebay these days and actual sale prices are reflecting a bit of a glut. 800s and even 1200XLs have been selling for less than $50. Atari 1020s are selling for less than $20. My guess is that Ebay users have noticed that these 30+ old computers in their closets are worth the effort to list. Many descriptions say that the seller has no idea how to hook them up. Probably a lot of estate sale and used merchandise retailers looking up Ebay listings and the bulb is going off. Don't get me wrong, the truly cool and rare stuff (like Bob1200XL's stuff) will still fetch a premium, but that's because they are rare and they work! I have the opportunity to pick up some 8-bit stuff that I truely don't need, but its hard to pass up at these prices. Heck at these prices, you can justify the purchase as "spares". MUST RESIST, STAY CALM. Edited July 20, 2014 by ACML Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 There does not seem to be any shortage of 8-bit hardware on Ebay these days and actual sale prices are reflecting a bit of a glut. 800s and even 1200XLs have been selling for less than $50. Atari 1020s are selling for less than $20. My guess is that Ebay users have noticed that these 30+ old computers in their closets are worth the effort to list. Many descriptions say that the seller has no idea how to hook them up. Probably a lot of estate sale and used merchandise retailers looking up Ebay listings and the bulb is going off. Don't get me wrong, the truly cool and rare stuff (like Bob1200XL's stuff) will still fetch a premium, but that's because they are rare and they work! I have the opportunity to pick up some 8-bit stuff that I truely don't need, but its hard to pass up at these prices. Heck at these prices, you can justify the purchase as "spares". MUST RESIST, STAY CALM. Just use Bill-me-later and keep on spending till you go bust I did that 2 years ago, lol... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 An 800XL goes for peanuts over here but a 1050 drive will still set you back £50 or more. I've seen faulty 1050 drives go for £40+ recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) deleted Edited July 20, 2014 by atari8warez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Payne Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Well, I better pick one up then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricortes Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Local to me, someone was selling a 1200XL in box with a 1010 for $80 on Craigslist. I almost bit, but I already have a couple of 1200's and decided to let it slip. It's one of those funny things. When I was younger I had more time and energy to spend on the hobby, now not so much. I haven't gotten to the stage of giving away stuff to a good home yet<fear it will appear on eBay within a week at inflated prices> but I am getting close. So it probably goes with a lot of aging Baby Boomers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 With the rise of emulation, old hardware is becoming less valuable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Great time to buy, the cycle is usually 4-7 years. We're in the down spin, I hope bottoming out soon. My fear, as a collector, is that the older we get the more likely it will be that we'll die off and this stuff won't matter (or be worth anything) anymore... They'll say "Atari 8-bit what?".... I've seen some of the most rare items come out in the last 2 years or so. Things I thought I would never be able to find, let alone get two of.... And (please don't take this the wrong way), at some point we'll pass on and our wives (or our childern) will sell our stuff for the price to haul it away... I still have plans to hold my most cherished carts in my cold dead hands..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) Great time to buy, the cycle is usually 4-7 years. We're in the down spin, I hope bottoming out soon. My fear, as a collector, is that the older we get the more likely it will be that we'll die off and this stuff won't matter (or be worth anything) anymore... They'll say "Atari 8-bit what?".... I've seen some of the most rare items come out in the last 2 years or so. Things I thought I would never be able to find, let alone get two of.... And (please don't take this the wrong way), at some point we'll pass on and our wives (or our childern) will sell our stuff for the price to haul it away... I still have plans to hold my most cherished carts in my cold dead hands..... But on a good note, some valuable collections will finally be made available for the few of us left that can still remember what we need Edited July 21, 2014 by chrislynn5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kogden Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 With the rise of emulation, old hardware is becoming less valuable. I wouldn't say that. Emulation has been around for decades yet it's still "just not the same". It's even worse when it comes to vector arcade games. There's more to the experience than simply running the software. The feel of a CX40, the analog Pokey noise, the keyboard, the noise of the disk drive.... Using an emulator doesn't feel like the real thing but it is a good way to play some old games on a modern machine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiffleplop Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I suspect that it's not quite bottomed out here, although I did pick up a pristine 800xl for cheap the other day. The 1200XL seems to be another matter though. Quite rare in the UK by the looks of things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I suspect that it's not quite bottomed out here, although I did pick up a pristine 800xl for cheap the other day. The 1200XL seems to be another matter though. Quite rare in the UK by the looks of things Well Hardware is definiately different than software. Hardware will become more valuable as time causes it to break down and fail. Replacement parts are getting almost impossible to find (I.e. 800XL new PCB's etc). Since prices went up on software over the last 3 years it really flushed out the sellers. Everone came out of the wood work to capitalize on the event. Disks were holding their ground until recently, i.e. it appears someone stumbled on a lot of Synapse titles that were impossible to find before, now there are many available thus lowering the price (I feel sorry for the first buyers at $500-700+, now there $100-200 over night (I've been there myself). NYC, Electrician, Quosimode, etc. Hardware, working, will go up in value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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