Ebay was good or bad for collecting ?

[FND]

I was going through some old papers in my computer room and came across a stack of old news group auctions from the RGVC news group. One caught my attention "World's Rarest" AKA Devin Knight Auction mainly because of the list of games.

 

*******************************************

DATE: 1996/05/07

 

buyout total's

----------------------

Cubicolor ---$400.00

ColorBar-----$300.00

Q-bert------- 85.00

Eli's Ladder---$225.00

Beat-em Eat-em- 80.00

 

The list below was still being bid on, a search of google did not find the final values but they sold for at least the amounts listed

 

Magicard -comes with the manual, paper templates, and a set of

Atari keypad controllers. Without a doubt the rarest and most

sought after cart in the world. $825.00 do

 

WaterWorld- a flawless cart with the poster, comic, manual

and tip sheet. Perfect in all ways. A real gem. $200.00 je

 

Crazy Climber- another flawless cart. One of the nicest

copies you will see. Comes with a manual that is mint. $140.00 je

(worth more in this condition)

 

Video Life--its still here, despite several buyout offers.

In my opinion the 2nd rarest cart left in the auction.

I don't know how many were made, but in my 20 years of

collecting I have run across 4 collectors who had one.

I would dare say this cart is harder to find than a

cubicolor. The current bid is far too low, and this is

ONE CART I WILL PULL from the auction if I feel its true

value is not reached before closing. You have been warned. $260.00 km

 

Sunrise Quest for Quanta Roo for the 2600.

Sunrise titles for the 2600 are next to impossible to

find. Don't confuse this with the more common version

released for Coleco. This is the rare 2600 one. This current

bid is almost an insult. If you need it folks here is

your chance. No I will not pull this one....somebody is

getting a good deal here. $30.00 act

 

Halloween---don't confuse this with the ones floating around

with no labels or handwritten labels. This has the printed

color label and the hard to find color directions. Later

directions were on plain white paper. $65.00 kage

 

 

Texas Chainsaw---all the above in Halloween applies to this

Its the printed color label. This too is way underbidded. $32.00 flyn

A flawless cart, seldom seen in the condition.

 

Custer's Revenge---ok not that rare, but still a scarce

adult title. This cart comes with a flawless manual. The

label colors are bright and fresh. $25.00 kev

 

Bachlor Party--like the above a flawless cart with manual $35.00 mor

 

********************************************************

 

 

 

With the exception of Video Life it looks like over a 7 year period, starting just before ebay and the www brought more interest in vintage video games, only the rarest of titles have increased in value and most of the less rare titles have actually gone down.

 

My conclusion is ebay has been good for the collector of vintage video games. It has made more titles available and caused the supply and demand to even out among the hardcore collectors which has resulted in lower prices for most of the games avaiable. I think it would now be more appealing to new collectors as a great collection can be assembled for less than ever before.

 

Hum I just thought of something back than the supply in the wild was much more available and rare items were found more frequently, this taken into account would probably even out the cost so I guess I am back to were I started.

 

Final conclusion, all else being equal, www & ebay brought more collectors and a larger supply of games to this hobby, and I think this is a good thing.

 

Just my opinion, feel free to flame away

 

 

 

FND

[CPUWIZ]

No flames from me, I agree 100%.

[Room 34]

Well, I didn't get hardcore into collecting until after eBay was well-established. (Although I suppose by some collectors' standards, my collection still isn't "hardcore".)

 

I went "thrifting" a few times in the mid-'90s, and I definitely found more that way then than I ever do now... but who cares? I have been able to accumulate a massive (for me) collection, almost exclusively via eBay, over the past 2 years.

[Brad2600]

How would you define "hardcore", Scott?

 

I still don't have any 2600 games past a Rarity 6 but I'm not really concerned about rarity anymore. I did find some 2600 games at a flea market yesterday but I already had all of them. It's kind of a bummer when you get over 200 games and then you run into some and find out that you already have them...LOL.

 

I believe EBay makes everything more accessible for collectors. Plus, if multiple copies of a game go up, you can just bid on 1 and if you get outbid, find something that's cheaper and bid on that instead. It kinda cuts back on the possibility of overbidding and getting ripped off.

[Marco]

With the exception of Video Life it looks like over a 7 year period, starting just before ebay and the www brought more interest in vintage video games, only the rarest of titles have increased in value and most of the less rare titles have actually gone down.

 

The ending prices of the Devon Knight auction were never made public AFAIK, but it is thought the top items in that auction went for ~$1500. The thought-to-be one-of-a-kind protos in those days also went for $1k-$2k (one is rumoured to have gone for $3k!).

 

So I think prices on the top 5% of Atari 2600 items have remained on the same level over the past 8 years or so. You're absolutely right on prices of the other 95%, which have steadily gone down.

 

You will see some temporary influxes from time to time, whenever a couple of wealthy new collectors enter the hobby, but when they've gotten their hands on the rarity 7-9 carts, prices will quickly settle down again.

 

Final conclusion, all else being equal, www & ebay brought more collectors and a larger supply of games to this hobby, and I think this is a good thing.

 

eBay has definitely brought a larger supply of games. In fact, its influence is so big that it can change rarity and value of games in a couple of weeks or months. Consider the following:

 

Whenever you see a "new-in-box" game on eBay, chances are that someone has found multiple copies of the game, sometimes even a couple of dozen or even more. And whenever someone uncovers some new-old-stock the value of the item drops noticeably.

Berenstain Bears, Yoko Game Copier, Homevision Copier, Espial, SW The Arcade Game, Cosmic Commander, Road Runner, Fatal Run etc etc. All examples of items that were once believed to be rare and valuable and then all of a sudden, they became pretty easy to get.

 

The number of collectors apparently is so small that finds of old stock almost instantly influence rarity and value. (NB: you will have noticed that I equal rarity to availability. Although in fact that is not correct, I think it's as close as we'll come to true rarity, as hardly any knowledge of production numbers has survived the 80s.)

 

I think it's very hard to predict what will happen from here on. I find it hard to imagine that the value of games will go up. The supply of games is simply overwhelming compared to the number of collectors. This especially goes for N-American NTSC games. I find it interesting to see that the supply of unusual PAL games appears to be drying up rapidly. Who knows, those pesky pirate games that are now frowned upon by many a collector, might become en vogue some day after all :wink:

 

So, in conclusion, I doubt a lot has happened to prices of the top 5% items since the introduction of eBay. I do agree with you that eBay has greatly increased the supply of games and the effect that has had on the price of 95% of games certainly isn't bad (unless you're in this for the money).

 

Cheers,

Marco

[Room 34]

How would you define "hardcore", Scott?

Well... I was just hedging my bets, since I have spouted off before about how I'd never be willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a Waterworld, etc.

 

My rarest game is a 7, a Xenophobe, which I acquired on a fluke in a lot I bid on from eBay.

 

Other than that, I just have a couple of 6's (one of which doesn't work), and a handful of 5's. But I know a lot of people here have managed to get complete boxed 8's, 9's, and 10's, and I probably will never even bother to try for those unless they fall into my lap.

 

So, to some of what I'd call "hardcore" collectors around here, I'm a lightweight... but to the average non-collector, I'm probably frighteningly obsessive!

[Rick Weis]

No flames from me, I agree 100%.  

 

i agree also!! when i heard about ebay in late 98 i went right out and got me a webtv so i can bid, bid, bid! if it was not for ebay i would have never put together a complete boxed sears collection!

 

i define "hardcore" as someone willing to spend many hundreds of $$$ for one cart! i never thought of a collection being "hardcore" only the collector!

 

Take Care,

 

Rick

[jhd]

I think the benefits of Ebay have been mixed and are not entirely positive.

 

Certainly, it has provided a national/international market for games, and by so doing leveled the prices. Informed collectors now have a much better sense of rarity for a particular title and this directly impacts how much they will pay.

 

On the other hand, collectors are almost forced to use Ebay. While I don't think it can be blamed 100% for the drying-up of "wild" sources such as thrift shops and flea markets, it has certainly contributed to this trend.

 

Ebay has also helped raise the profile of the Classic Gaming Community. While this has undobutedly helped increase the supply of games (people are now selling the contents of their attic rather than just pitching it -- or giving it to Goodwill), it has also increased demand.

 

Remember that the "supply" of these games is esentially fixed -- most have not been manufactured for more than 20 years and that with increased demand, prices will necessarily rise over time.

 

On a personal note, I refuse to use Ebay for a number of reasons. I presently have about 120 2600 cartridges -- all from the wild or trades on RGVC. In the past 5 years, I have found exactly 1 (one) cartridge in the wild that I did not previously have! I love Stella.

[holygrailvideogames.com]

I never would have the items that I have today if it wasn't for ebay.

[robsbucs]

I agree with mcgrail. i wouldnt have near the games i have if not for EBAY. I buy alot here as well(ask CPUWIZ and RICK WEIS). But ebay has helped me alot with my collection of Atari 2600 stuff.

[Brad2600]

I started out hitting EBay when it came to getting more games and as a result, I have all kinds of games. However, I've bought from people such as CPUWIZ, Rick Weis, AtariPitBull and several others in the Marketplace and I love the experience more than EBay. Other collectors tend to take care of their stuff better than an ordinary EBay seller and I always go into the deal with 100% confidence because I know the seller can be trusted on here.

 

All I've really found in the wild around here is INTV/NES stuff. I've found Atari computers and some commons but not many.

[AtariDude]

Ebay has its uses. It allows people to find items that might not be available locally but it also could create bidding wars were common sense goes out the window.

 

Maybe, Atari items are nearly non-existent at goodwill stores (all i ever find is Genesis and Nintendo items) so Ebay is good for me as far as getting my hands on Atari related items.

[Brad2600]

That 5200 I sent you was the first 5200 I won on EBay.

 

 

Though Ebay can be a royal pain in the ass sometimes.

 

Especially when people make it a game of trying to outbid each other. It quickly becomes pointless and whoever wins, usually gets ripped off.

 

Took me many tries to get a 5200.

[ATARIPITBULL]

Hell, about 98 % of my atari collection is from Ebay, so I can say yes Ebay has been good to me. Now as far as that list goes he has a mint copy of Crazy Climber with mint manual for sale at $140.00, that is way to high, I bought a mint shaped Crazy Climber with its manual in mint shape for just $65.00 off of ebay and his Waterworld was listed at $200.00 with out the box, but I bought one, complete with the box, for just $230.00 with shipping included.

 

[Brad2600]

Maybe someday I'll have the funds to acquire a copy of Crazy Climber or such.

 

I'm not in a hurry to do so now though.

[+Atarius Maximus]

I too have used Ebay to get 95% of my collection, the rest were from trades & purchases from people here. I've been checking thrift stores for the past year or so, and I've only run across a lot of Atari games once, and it was 5-10 carts, none greater than a rarity 2 for $3 each. For me, ebay has been almost essential.

 

AM

[Marco]

Remember that the "supply" of these games is esentially fixed -- most have not been manufactured for more than 20 years and that with increased demand, prices will necessarily rise over time.

 

They produced thousands of copies of most Atari 2600 games. I think for most games the supply simply overwhelms the number of collectors. I don't know why, but it is my feeling that this hobby will remain rather small scale, thus bringing most games within reach of everyone's wallet. Of course, that does not include boxed Video Lifes et al.

 

@Ataripitbull: don't look too much at the prices in that Knight auctions. That auction was still very much running when those prices were reached. They sky-rocketed in the end and most of the final prices were never published to the public.

 

Cheers,

Marco

[Rick Weis]

when did the RGVC news group start up? i started reading it in around 1999 boy, it sounds like i missed some nice stuff!

 

Take care,

 

rick

[bcostin]

I firmly believe that eBay has been, overall, good for collecting. Especially for those of us who live in dry areas where interesting finds are few and far between. I have those magical thrift store dreams, too, but eBay's actually there when I wake up.

[Marco]

when did the RGVC news group start up? i started reading it in around 1999 boy' date=' it sounds like i missed some nice stuff!

[/quote']

 

From Google:

 

The first newsgroup control message (the official "birth" of the newsgroup) went out on April 19, 1993. It has an exceptionally short charter:

 

"This newsgroup would carry discussions regarding older, "classic" home video entertainment systems like the Atari 2600, Coleco, Intellivision,

etc."

 

Cheers,

Marco

[Dolt]

I'd guess that most people here do a mix of thrift and ebay. I live just outside New York City and it's damn dry here, especially if you have 330+ games like myself, so I do use ebay from time to time. On the other hand, I still go to local game shops and thrift stores because honestly, I like the hunt. I had a few awesome scores in the past which I've blathered on about here before, so I still hold out hope that good stuff is out there, waiting to be filched from the unsuspecting. I don't think I've every paid more than $20 for a game, and usually it's more like $10 or so for me.

 

On the other hand, as you can see, I'm pretty cheap. I don't like spending a lot of money on a game, especially since I've been fortunate enough to land a number of high rarity games for a few bucks in the past. I have no intention of scrambling after a Video Life unless I find it in a musty basement as part of a yard sale.

 

While I use ebay to find games and certainly I make money selling items on ebay, I dislike the service when it comes to collecting, because it made it much harder to find a great score in the wild for ANY kind of collection. People who don't realize what they have will throw anything they come across on to ebay and hope it makes a few bucks. I found Waterworld, Quadrun and a bunch of other rarities in the wild for $2 in the past, but now that would never happen. It's a shame, because the electricity you feel when you suddenly find something really cool lying forgotten in a cardboard box is a great feeling--and its highly addictive. You don't get that bidding on a computer screen, and I miss it a lot these days...

[AtariDude]

I guess I should have mentioned this before but if not for Ebay, I would not have any Atari items except for what I had from the day (mostly 8bit and some ST computer items).

 

So thanks to Ebay, I have an Atari 7800, an Atari Lynx, and an Atari Jaguar. Of course those systems needs games to go with them so there are more items from Ebay. Usually I try to buy large collections rather than one item unless I am looking for a specific item.

[DuckandCover]

I'm of the opinion that Ebay has been pretty positive for the hobby for the most part. I really think it has enabled 2600 enthusiasts to get theri hands on games that would be very difficult for them to locate otherwise. For me, there are only a handful of thrifts in my area, and most of what I've found in them has been fairly common, in terms of rarity. By default, much of my collection has had to come from Ebay, but overall I've had good experiences there. I agree that bidding wars do break out, which isn't good for anyone. I've often had to be patient to get certain items I've wanted at a reasonable price.

[CincYnoTi]

No flames from me' date=' I agree 100%. [/quote']

 

i agree also!! when i heard about ebay in late 98 i went right out and got me a webtv so i can bid' date=' bid, bid! if it was not for ebay i would have never put together a complete boxed sears collection!

[/quote']

 

ahh, i remember that time. i kept wondering...who is this guy that keeps outbidding me on these sears boxes ? i did not think anyone cared much about the sears versions of games. anyway, i was usually content to wait until the next sears box appeared on ebay since you outbid me most of the time. unfortunately, i'm still one sears box short (sears soccer) of having a box for every sears title. and about a dozen boxes short of having every sears box variation also. hmmm, do you have a boxed sears picture label superman?