Label Variations.

[pmitch_3m]

Okay, one thing I can't quite get is why and how certain label variations determine the value(market) of a game. For example, I was checking out Atariguide.com and they had label variations of Mrs. Pac-Man going for $24. Why? Is a Ms. Pac-Man from '88 that much harder to find than one from '82 or are they just playin' people? I'm confused.

 

thanks,

p

[Brad2600]

Perhaps one variation is more common than the other?

 

Who really knows?

 

I find it funny because it's the same game..but with a different label.

[Mindfield]

A lot of the time it is because one particular label variation may have only had a limited run for any of a variety of reasons. A red label Gravitar has a rarity listing of 2 for example, having been released in mass quantities, while the earlier silver label was originally only available to Atari Club members, and later released to the public, but then only in limited quantites, thus earning it a rarity of 8. Similar scenarios surround other variations -- early Atari releases of many games had the model number of the game printed beside its name on the end label (eg. "51 Blackjack") and were released in gatefold boxes, while later releases omitted the numeric catalog number and saw them released in the more standard boxes, this making numbered text labels more rare than unnumbered releases, particularily when paired with their gatefold boxes. (I only have one CIB numbered text label myself)

[pmitch_3m]

A lot of the time it is because one particular label variation may have only had a limited run for any of a variety of reasons.

 

I understand that part, but who or how is this rarity determined? How is rarity determined across the board...has one person looked through production runs or are these just guesses? Is their a resource other than AA for these facts/figures? Just tryin' to figure th whole thing out. Thanks for the knowledge.

 

P

[Room 34]

But who or how is this rarity determined?

 

Answer #1: "They"

 

Answer #2: It is decreed by the gods

 

Answer #3: Consultations with the Magic 8 Ball

 

 

But seriously...

 

The brains behind AtariAge have access to some data, I believe, but to some extent the ratings are simply educated guesses.

[pmitch_3m]

Answer #1: "They"

 

 

Excellent! I wish I could join "They" and then I too could control the universe and determine that the hairpins that my girlfriend leaves all over the place are worth a million dollars each and due to the color variations, that some are worth 1.5 million.

 

late,

p

[CincYnoTi]

my guess is that their valuation comes from inventory numbers. so maybe the have 20 copies of the 1982 ms pacman, 3 of the 1987 and only one of the 1988. so if you are going to put a price on how much you will sell these for, then the 1988 will have a higher price tag. i don't know of any published data for relative rarity between the copyright variations on labels. so in this case, atariguide has expressed their own opinion on rarity and value by listing the sale prices for different label versions. now if some collector has been searching for years for that last elusive copyright variation for his ms pacman collection, then he might be willing to pay that asking price.

[Christophero Sly]

Okay, one thing I can't quite get is why and how certain label variations determine the value(market) of a game.  For example, I was checking out Atariguide.com and they had label variations of Mrs. Pac-Man going for $24.  Why?  Is a Ms. Pac-Man from '88 that much harder to find than one from '82 or are they just playin' people? I'm confused.

 

thanks,

p

 

As far as recognizing label variations goes, Atariguide is very comprehensive. However, I haven't figured out how Jason determines his prices for minor variants. Yes, an '88 Ms. Pac-Man is probably harder to find than an '82, but I don't think many collectors see enough of a distinction between the two to recognize the '88 as a rarity worth $24. Perhaps there are individuals within the Atari collecting community that recognize rare minor variants and are willing to pay higher prices for them, but I highly doubt it. My guess, Atariguide dosen't sell many Ms. Pac-Mans for $24.

 

I'm not ashamed to admit that I collect interesting label variants. I don't actively pursure them, but I pick them up when I see them.

 

BTW, I have an '88 Ms. Pac-Man...and not because it's a variant. It's a spare playing copy I have so I don't have to dig the game out of my collection every time I want to play it (almost every day).

[SS]

I find it funny because it's the same game..but with a different label.  

 

 

 

VS

 

 

 

Which would you rather have?

[video game addict]

I'll take one RED please! No really! I think the red labels are cooler. Silver labels have a tendency to get crusty looking. (insert Rs puke emo here ) If I had both in my collection, I would probably sell the Silver and keep the red. They ARE the same game after all. Money from the silver would buy more games I'm missing.

[Brad2600]

I find it funny because it's the same game..but with a different label.  

 

 

 

VS

 

 

 

Which would you rather have?

 

 

I'D RATHER TAKE THE SILVER VERSION.

 

IT'S OBVIOUSLY BETTER LOOKING TO MY EYE.

 

SO YOU GOT A GOOD POINT THERE.

[Room 34]

Despite my collector tendencies, I'm ultimately about just having the games... so there's a red Gravitar in my collection, but unless I stumble on an unwitting seller of a silver Gravitar for small beans, I will probably never have one. Oh well...

[Godzilla]

i got my silver gravitar for less than $30 off ebay so I felt that was pretty damn good for a club exclusive.

[JB]

...

There's more artwork on the red version.

The silver one's cropped.

 

But I think the silver one looks better anyways.

[as_the_gavel_falls]

Game, set and match. Some of my prices are shots in the dark (if you see something that looks way out of whack, please drop me a note!), but on the more common stuff it's pretty much an art form. I've gone thru thousands and thousands of atari carts and my prices are based on how fast an item sells and how many are available. Pitfall sells at X rate, and so an international edition pitfall is worth more then the regular pitfall based on applying that rate. The actual formula is an exercise for the reader You can get the raw prices on the CD-Rom, which also includes links to ebay to make it easy to search for that particular game. They are also available in other places on the site.

 

If you're after a series of carts, like the red labels, or the blue labels, or every version of combat that came out, the adjusted prices give you an idea of how well you've done.

 

AtariGuide is not something I make money with, it's a hobby. I use the money that is generated to buy rare and unusual carts which will eventually be added to the site, and to pay my slaves who clean and bag all the carts

 

Jason

[as_the_gavel_falls]

 My guess, Atariguide dosen't sell many Ms. Pac-Mans for $24.    

 

True, until I run out of the other Ms. Pac Mans. This is my defense against people ransacking my collection

[Christophero Sly]

 My guess, Atariguide dosen't sell many Ms. Pac-Mans for $24.    

 

True, until I run out of the other Ms. Pac Mans. This is my defense against people ransacking my collection

I'm still a little confused about your pricing, but that's OK. Having purchased several carts from you, I know you've got some great deals in amongst the $24 Ms. Pac-Mans. I'll add you to my recommended traders list now that I know your AA nick.

 

Speaking of label variants, you have an interesting 'Space War' variant. It appears to be a 1986 re-issue. AFAIK, this 'Space War' label variant hasn't been catalogued anywhere yet, at least the Giant List of Label Variants dosen't include it, but I suppose that list hasn't been updated for more than a year, so...??? You have the variant listed as a PAL cart, but I don't think this is correct. Anyway, interesting...