Has the STacy and Mega STe gone way up in value?

[Zap!]

I got mine in 2016 on eBay. It was listed as untested (it wound up being fully functional) and without a power supply for $312 (see this thread). At the time, many of my Atari friends said I overpaid. But now I hear that working STacy's go for like $1,000. Is there any truth to that?

 

Also, what's a Mega STe worth now? I don't even see any listed on eBay right now. I got mine (also in 2016) with SC1224 monitor for $400, in box.

 

I should also note that both are the North American versions.

Edited April 27, 2021 by Zap!

[Mr. Undo]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154414632447

Edited April 27, 2021 by Mr. Undo

[Zap!]

16 minutes ago, Mr. Undo said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154414632447

Wow that's insane! I had no idea they went for that much. Would a NA version be different, since there were reportedly less made?

[calimero]

Almost like graphic card for PC!

 

Corona - new normal!

[Tillek]

Yeah, but to be fair... that had an SC1435 monitor with it and the MegaSTE was in almost perfect condition and was in original box, with all the manuals and cables, even the original warranty card, in French.  Not really an "average" example.

 

 

[Mr. Undo]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284243171161

[calimero]

@Mr Undo 

 

can you just copy price from ebay here?

 

For archiving purpose!
 

(Ebay is asshole company, like all companies, that will hide auction details from us, users, after auction is over.)

[Mr. Undo]

2 hours ago, Mr. Undo said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154414632447

@calimero You’re right.

 

So, this one: Atari Mega STE 4MB Computer Atari SC1435 Monitor Atari Mouse and Keyboard - sold for EUR 1260 / aprox. $1,522

Edited April 27, 2021 by Mr. Undo

[Mr. Undo]

1 hour ago, Mr. Undo said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284243171161

And this one: Atari Mega STE with 1mb memory and hard disk. Mouse and manual included. Cleaned and tested. Box of floppies included.

 

Sold for EUR 500 / aprox. $604

[Zap!]

8 hours ago, Tillek said:

Yeah, but to be fair... that had an SC1435 monitor with it and the MegaSTE was in almost perfect condition and was in original box, with all the manuals and cables, even the original warranty card, in French.  Not really an "average" example.

 

 

My Mega STe has the box and instructions (and possibly warranty), and I believe it's almost perfect.

 

And the SC1435 is one coveted monitor. I have to fix mine one day. The switch has been broken for years.

[+DarkLord]

Hey, you think that's bad. Get a load of this (and that mouse!). 

 

[MasterMotorola]

I've noticed the prices on most retro computers have really increased over the last three years.  I think we are at a point were most collectors are hanging onto their computers so they are becoming more difficult to find.  These are the average going rates for Atari systems here in Canada...

 

Atari STFM --> $400 - $800

Atari Mega STE --> $1000 - $1700

Atari TT030 --> $3300 - $4000

Atari Falcon --> $3700 - $3900

 

Now that I look at the prices, I realise they are almost the same as they were new three decades ago.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I think that real (well, most important one) reason for prices getting higher is that 30++ years old computers, electronic just tend to work bad, unreliable, stops working completely and like. And repair is more and more hard, combined with hard to find components.

As may see, it's not only rarer computers which price seem way too high.  Like little upper shown "NEW" original mouse . Well, if it was "unused" that would even sound as "maybe true" - but 'new' for something old about 33 years ? . I can guarantee that it will be pain to use it - ball surface is for sure like glass.

Similar is with Atari compatible floppy drives. More than UltraSatan or some HW floppy emulator.  I can say: buy only for demonstration purposes. Surely will not last ..

[Zap!]

6 hours ago, ParanoidLittleMan said:

I think that real (well, most important one) reason for prices getting higher is that 30++ years old computers, electronic just tend to work bad, unreliable, stops working completely and like. And repair is more and more hard, combined with hard to find components.

As may see, it's not only rarer computers which price seem way too high.  Like little upper shown "NEW" original mouse . Well, if it was "unused" that would even sound as "maybe true" - but 'new' for something old about 33 years ? . I can guarantee that it will be pain to use it - ball surface is for sure like glass.

Similar is with Atari compatible floppy drives. More than UltraSatan or some HW floppy emulator.  I can say: buy only for demonstration purposes. Surely will not last ..

Speaking of Ultrasatan, you helped me out tremendously with my issues a few years back. How's everything?

[Tillek]

12 hours ago, Zap! said:

My Mega STe has the box and instructions (and possibly warranty), and I believe it's almost perfect.

 

And the SC1435 is one coveted monitor. I have to fix mine one day. The switch has been broken for years.

Yeah, mine is broken too.  The switch on this one is also busted (you can see the "wedge" on the power button).  Think that's how I'm going to "fix" mine.  so I can use it again.  Might use it for one of the A8s with a VBXE.

[Zap!]

29 minutes ago, Tillek said:

Yeah, mine is broken too.  The switch on this one is also busted (you can see the "wedge" on the power button).  Think that's how I'm going to "fix" mine.  so I can use it again.  Might use it for one of the A8s with a VBXE.

Mine works if I hold the switch in, but as soon as I release it, it turns off. Right now it's in my closet, and my STe is connected to a 20" PVM.

 

[Tillek]

Yeah, that's the common problem with those.... and the common solution is the "wedge".

 

[Tillek]

And dunno man... that space looks way too neat and tidy for a computer that actually gets used.

 

[+slx]

13 hours ago, MasterMotorola said:

These are the average going rates for Atari systems here in Canada...

 

Atari STFM --> $400 - $800

Atari Mega STE --> $1000 - $1700

Atari TT030 --> $3300 - $4000

Atari Falcon --> $3700 - $3900

Are there PAL and NTSC TTs? 
 

These crazy prices seem to be about twice as high as European prices. TTs that are not fully loaded sell for less than 1000€ sometimes. I sold a Mega ST4 with SM124 for about 100€ a few years ago and was happy to find a buyer. 

[MasterMotorola]

In Canada all machines are NTSC.  Keep in mind those are Canadian dollars which are about 0.8 the cost of USD.  The number of Ataris for sale in North America is much smaller than in Europe so the prices here are much higher.  Occasionally you will find someone selling for a "fair" price because he just wants the machine to go to a good home but generally the prices in Canada and USA are high for retro gear.  With the exception of an ICD cable I bought several decades ago, all of my ST/TT/Jaguar upgrades have been purchased from Europe (mostly Britain and Germany)... the prices are better even when paying a little more on shipping.

[bfollowell]

The Mega STe and the Falcon were always my dream 16-bit machines. Unfortunately, my 8-bit 800XL was my daily driver until 1993, when I made the plunge into the PC world. I was looking really hard at the Falcon at the time, and came awfully close, but I knew no one at the time that had any Atari computers of any type, other than myself, and PCs were everywhere at work, so it felt like the right time to jump ship. I hated to leave Atari though. So, I wound up skipping the whole Atari 16-bit era until after it was on the way out. I bought a 520STM and a 1040STF sometime in the mid-90s. I wish I'd gotten in on the golden years when Atari 8-bit and 16-bit stuff was selling for next to nothing, but I got the feeling that was pre- or very early eBay years, and there just weren't that many Atari users where I lived, in order for me to get in on those great deals.

 

Still, if I had of gotten in on those great deals, I'd probably have a storage room full of ignored Ataris and a wife fussing at me to get rid of stuff, whereas now I just have a few very loved Ataris that I use frequently.

 

I'd still love to get my hands on a Mega STe and a Falcon one day, if prices ever get reasonable again. I don't expect to ever see crazy low prices again. Honestly, I'm not sure we'll ever see reasonable again. Still, things go in cycles, so who knows?

 

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I don't think that some 20 years from now there will be more than couple thousands, or maybe couple hundreds of still working Atari STs and compatible - World wide. Here mean those with original components (well except PSU, floppy drive - they are already replaced by big %) . There will be no more available (from not working machines) working custom chips, and even those 74LSxxx can be problem at that age.  RAM too. Will suitable EPROMs still will be available ?

Surely, some may producing replacement chips - as it already happens. Clones will be used by most, that's what can say with confidence.

Or do you see on streets 70-100 years old cars regularly ? In electronic life time is shorter than it.

Ataris are like wine ?  If it is old, still works or drinkable - high price.?

Edited April 29, 2021 by ParanoidLittleMan
I like Edit :-)

[Atari8guy]

I got my 4mb STe with an accelerator in it for 225 bucks from the marketplace here at Atariage about 10 years ago.  I love it, it works great but I do worry someday it will croak and I will not be able to fix it.  I have an STFM kicking around too and I've often thought about buying a back up STe but the prices these days seem to have driven me from doing that.  I went the MiST route for backup.  The MiST feels almost real compared to emulation but its still not the real thing.  I just couldn't see another redundancy option.  (Plus the MiST runs a few other things...).  I'm hoping my STe makes it to my retirement party (which is still 18 years away).....then I can really enjoy it.

[Randy]

I'm not sure about this "longevity" thing, as long as the caps are replaced regularly (20 years+), any heat-sinked components have the compound replaced every 20 years to insure proper heat transfer, these things should last for MANY years.  I regularly work in vintage electronics (radios) that are 100 y.o. and it is mostly caps and old resistor, almost never tubes.  And vintage tape recorders at 70+ y.o. are still working even with all the mechanical parts.  I would expect moving devices, such as floppy drives, harddrives, mice, and keyboards, more prone to breakdown, and power supplies as well, but well kept and taken care of these computers should easily outlast you and your children!

[ParanoidLittleMan]

9 hours ago, Randy said:

I'm not sure about this "longevity" thing, as long as the caps are replaced regularly (20 years+), any heat-sinked components have the compound replaced every 20 years to insure proper heat transfer, these things should last for MANY years.  I regularly work in vintage electronics (radios) that are 100 y.o. and it is mostly caps and old resistor, almost never tubes.  And vintage tape recorders at 70+ y.o. are still working even with all the mechanical parts.  I would expect moving devices, such as floppy drives, harddrives, mice, and keyboards, more prone to breakdown, and power supplies as well, but well kept and taken care of these computers should easily outlast you and your children!

How long you work in vintage electronic ? 2 weeks, 3 weeks ?

Seriously, you want to be smarter in this than someone who works with electronic for over 40 years. 'Almost never tubes' - yeah, that's why tube based computers prevailed on market ? I must be reading very false info saying that tube computers needed repair (tube replacements) every couple hours. And sure, that matches my personal experience - with tube TVs ++ (still in use when I started with repairs) - big part of TV, amplifier and radio failures was broken, weakened tube.

It is not heat what kills components - well, at least not directly. Moisture in air is what makes silicon based chips to break. That's the reason why industry, military grade chips must be in ceramic case instead plastic.