ewrann Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Well, yesterday (Saturday) I headed out early in the morning as i have been for the past eight months in search of Atari stuff at Tag Sales, Flea Markets etc.. My "scores" this past eight months have been ok, nothing huge..a couple 2600 consoles, some games, a 7800 - decent prices and fun to play but no really interesting scores. So I'm walking up a driveway at a tag sale and note the usual tag sale junk...I figured this was just another fruitless search. Then I notice about 30 Atari cartridges, most loose, some boxed, a stack of manuals and a set of paddles on a table. I was freaked - I've never seen so much 2600 stuff at a tag sale in my area EVER - I was sure my area was quite barren. As I approached I could see they weren't just the typical Pac-Man, Yar's, Breakout etc....there were some Activisions, some Spectravisons and some other oddballs I didn't recognize. I get up to the table in a trance, palms sweaty...only to find someone twice my age handing over some cash to the woman running the sale..he bags up the pile and walks awy leaveing only the set of paddles. I was crushed. I couldn't believe I was that close to a decent score...mind you've I've only been collecting for 8 months but to be literally 5 minutes away from a pile of carts less than 5 minutes from my house...it really made me want to quit the whole scene. I'm pretty much over it but what a freakin' bummer. So only once in 8 months do I see something like that and I miss it by 5 minutes...frustrating as hell..what if I had gotten out of bed 5 minutes earlier, what if I hadn't stopped for that coffee, what if I had skipped those other sh*tty tag sales?. I know some of you can feel my pain hahaha. Anyone got any similar stories? P.S. I bought the GD paddles for a dollar. E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariDude Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Yep, that was a bummer. However I think that your story is not uncommon. Seems that some guy is always getting to everyone elses sales first. We have a warrant for "some guy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjk7382 Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I would have talked to the guy that bought the stuff. Maybe you could have gotten some of the stuff he didn't want (or didn't know was rare) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 That happened to me. I picked up a couple NES and SNES games at a sale and, as I sometimes do, I asked if they happend t have any atari stuff. She said they just sold a unit with 40 games for $20 ten minutes before I got there. Ruined my whole morning actually because I was running through my mind about how I stopped to put air in one of my tires and we made a coffee run / bathroom break after that. Total time - 20 minutes. I would have gotten there first. The really frustrating thing is that it will all probably end up on ebay. I try to console myself by thinking that they were all common games but in a lot of 40 there were probably at least a couple good picks in the lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 If it makes you feel better, I've been searching for Atari stuff in the wild almost 2 years now and haven't even gotten close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewrann Posted June 7, 2004 Author Share Posted June 7, 2004 Yeah, as he left I said "Nice score, I missed it by 30 seconds" I was polite and friendly...but dying inside! He sort of quickly walked away but said that his kids had played Atari when they were little and that he liked to pick the carts up "here and there" to play. He also said something to the effect of "I have 132 cartridges at home" hmm...hey buddy, you on these boards?!? It's interesting to realize I have tag sale competition for Atari stuff in my area..this could have the makings of a great sitcom..ya know, me tackling him into a table of carts that go flying into the air...scrambing for that boxed 50 cent Quadrun.... E I would have talked to the guy that bought the stuff. Maybe you could have gotten some of the stuff he didn't want (or didn't know was rare) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockin' Kat Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I've had one really annoying miss that was really close(not say 30 seconds close mind you, never acctually seen someone walking off with something I wanted. That would just...) I was going to mow the lawn that day..... I was going to do it early in the morning.... but I set my alarm for PM instead of AM..... so I woke up.... around 11AM.....I was going to get up around 8AM.. I guess it's no big deal to sleep in or something...just wanted to be awake for more of the daylight hours... So while I'm getting dressed I notice out my window that the next door neihbor has some tables with crap on them in the driveway...so I'm like "ooh! Garage sale!" So I rush to get the rest of my clothes on and run out through the backyard to their house. Well... All they had was some old PC junk and some clothes.. Then someone asked me if I needed any help ... I said I was "oh, I'm just looking for old video games" "Oh, I'm so sorry! We had a Sega an' a Nintendo and a box full of games but we sold it an hour ago!" Bah! I was going to get up early.. I woulda seen them setting up while I was mowing the lawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonTemplar Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I`m sure most of us here can identify with you. That situation happened to me many, many times... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
povlok1 Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 just think,, if you'd of gotten off the crapper after the morning deposit just 30 secnds earlier, they'd be yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 That reminds me of something. Severaly years back, I had bought a used Radius monitor that could rotate to a portrait mode, but wouldn't for me because I needed a Radius video card. I was at a computer street sale, and found the exact card I needed. But this big fat guy had bought all of them, and wouldn't let me buy one off him. I saw him walking around for a few hours, carrying a stack of video cards underneath his sweaty arm. What a jerk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradjewell Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 P.S. I bought the GD paddles for a dollar. E Yeah, as many said that happens... Ive been to quite a few yard sales and pawn shops and asks about old games stuff and they talk about "some guy" came in a day before, or earlier that day... I've even asked acquantences and they've said "I just throwed my old atari away" or given it away.... and sorry, but that last line of your story made me laugh.. i can just see you, seeing all that stuff walk away and leaving you with your piddly paddles.. Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saikyo Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Bad luck man my heart would have sunk if I had that happen to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewrann Posted June 7, 2004 Author Share Posted June 7, 2004 P.S. I bought the GD paddles for a dollar. E and sorry, but that last line of your story made me laugh.. i can just see you, seeing all that stuff walk away and leaving you with your piddly paddles.. Brad Yeah...I was walking away w/ my pathetic paddles...kicking the dirt.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shining slade Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I wanna be that "some guy" just once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcprs1 Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I have been on both ends of the situation. I went to a small flea market I always go to and the guy there mentioned he has just sold a Nintendo with 40 games for $20. I have, however, been lucky to get to some places just when they put out their Atari. One time, I was about to leave a Goodwill, but I stopped to use the bathroom. Right when I stepped out, I looked through a window into the backroom and saw a guy placing an Atari on a cart to be sent out. Right when he got out, I quickly grabbed the Atari. Then he mentioned that there was a box of games in the back. He came back a few minutes later with a box of 2600 games that were $2 each. I was able to pick up a Spy Hunter and a few other goodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcprs1 Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 For those of you in Massachusetts who are wondering, I was at the Goodwill in Dorchester. Needless to say, I have been back many times and have only found some very overpriced games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shining slade Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 My 7800 Games for Trade your trade link does not work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 5 Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I find that when I go to tag sales, asking always helps. It seems a lot of people in my area never put the old video game systems out. Other than an Atari 5200 in it's original box (for $15 ! ) last year, the only old atari systems or games I have ever got is by asking. I usually say, "You don't have any old video games in your attic by any chance, like atari, colecovision, etc.?" People have said, "YEAH! I DO!" like they can't believe people would even be asking about such a thing. (Look for wives running tag sales with husbands that happen to be out ! ) People are in 'sell mode' when they have tag sales and anything in a box in their attic you are likely to get... even if they didn't put it out to begin with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsukasa Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Find out where "That guy" lives. Let's form an angry mob and T.P. his house or something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricDeLee Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 I had a guy do that to me a while back. Pissed me off. I noticed he had a Nomad (I've been wanting one for a LOOOONG time... and STILL want one....) and I was determined to get it. I had it in my hands... the guy asked for $15. I calmly got $15 out of my pocket and was handing it to him. (Keep in mind I only had $15 bucks with me). A guy from behind me said I'll give you $20 for it. and the owner took the game out of my hands... and passed it to the guy behind me. He simply shrugged his shoulders and stated that he was going to sell it to a local video game store for $30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
povlok1 Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 I had a guy do that to me a while back. Pissed me off. I noticed he had a Nomad (I've been wanting one for a LOOOONG time... and STILL want one....) and I was determined to get it. I had it in my hands... the guy asked for $15. I calmly got $15 out of my pocket and was handing it to him. (Keep in mind I only had $15 bucks with me). A guy from behind me said I'll give you $20 for it. and the owner took the game out of my hands... and passed it to the guy behind me. He simply shrugged his shoulders and stated that he was going to sell it to a local video game store for $30. I would of called him a asshole and harassed every costomer that came to his table for the rest of the day for being such a prick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolt Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 I have to say that I've been lucky enough to be 'that guy' a number of times, so even though I usually come up empty handed, it's hard to complain. You'd be willing to lose out a few hundred times if it meant you'd find a Quadrun for $2 along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr2084 Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 I had an ordeal where I missed some stuff. I went to a tag sale at some condo complex and I saw a brand new 2600 and about 300+ game in a box. No joke. I asked how much it was and the guy said $50. I tried to talk him down, but he said it was worth $5000, for some reason. I didn't have any money left, so I asked if he could hold it for me. He said he would. Well, I went home and got some extra money, but the guy had sold it to someone else when I came back!. I was so friggin' pissed! It haunts me until this very day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewrann Posted June 8, 2004 Author Share Posted June 8, 2004 I had an ordeal where I missed some stuff. I went to a tag sale at some condo complex and I saw a brand new 2600 and about 300+ game in a box. No joke. I asked how much it was and the guy said $50. I tried to talk him down, but he said it was worth $5000, for some reason. I didn't have any money left, so I asked if he could hold it for me. He said he would. Well, I went home and got some extra money, but the guy had sold it to someone else when I came back!. I was so friggin' pissed! It haunts me until this very day... Ouch - Yeah, keep these coming..it makes me feel better about my loss this weekend! Jeeze..yours really hurts man...I feel your pain. E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockman_x_2002 Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Y'know... there should be an avenger for us little guys that have lost finds to the dubious Sumguy. Y'know... an anti-Sumguy that hits those garage sales and flea markets on behalf of those of us who cannot be there at the crack of dawn and have lost finds, especially major ones, by mere seconds rather than hours. Someone who's willing to reach in their wallets, waiting to buy a quick lot right in front of the eyes of the elusive Sumguy, and give to those who have lost out before! Sure, it's a dream world fantasy, but something that's a good thing. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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