Espial is a rarity 10

[Red 5]

There. I said it.

 

(Well, at least a rarity 9)

 

Going on 3 years of an automated search on Ebay. Espial has shown up once. (The search is set for title AND description by the way...)

 

Once.

 

River Patrol shows up more often.

[Christophero Sly]

8 or a 9, for sure. Not a 6.

[phaxda]

Loose, or CIB? I have a loose one that I bought last year for way less than I have ever seen a River Patrol go for.

 

show details 7/12/09

Dear phaxda,

 

Thank you for shopping on eBay! Your total amount due is $76.37. More details about your purchase are included below.

 

 

Item # Item Title Quantity Price Amount

270422657933 Atari 2600 Espial RARE Game NTSC WORKS GREAT 1 $67.77 $67.77

Subtotal: $67.77

Shipping and handling via US Postal Service Priority Mail: $8.60

Total: $76.37

[Red 5]

Loose or rare, you got the only one I have seem on Ebay in 3 years.

 

I watched that auction and should have bid. I cried when I saw the final price, but am glad you got it. It think it was a steal.

 

As far as I am concerned, it should get as much as River Patrol, but it doesn't have the "Rarity Fame" for some reason.

[Dino]

Loose or rare, you got the only one I have seem on Ebay in 3 years.

 

I watched that auction and should have bid. I cried when I saw the final price, but am glad you got it. It think it was a steal.

 

As far as I am concerned, it should get as much as River Patrol, but it doesn't have the "Rarity Fame" for some reason.

That's because a stash of these were found a few years ago. Most collectors with deep pockets already have this CIB, so it tends to drive down the price... River Patrol CIB is a totally different ball game

[Philflound]

I've had a complete in box Espial for awhile, yet have not come across River Patrol at all. I may have paid $10 for it.

 

Phil

[EricDeLee]

Loose or rare, you got the only one I have seem on Ebay in 3 years.

 

I watched that auction and should have bid. I cried when I saw the final price, but am glad you got it. It think it was a steal.

 

As far as I am concerned, it should get as much as River Patrol, but it doesn't have the "Rarity Fame" for some reason.

That's because a stash of these were found a few years ago. Most collectors with deep pockets already have this CIB, so it tends to drive down the price... River Patrol CIB is a totally different ball game

 

Stash found or not... it still is a tough one to get a hold of.

That's one of them still on my list. I haven't 'Actively' searched for it... but I pay attention when it pops up.

It makes Springer look fairly easy to find. I know I've had my chances to get at least 10-15 Springers as opposed to 1 Espial. I ended up with a Springer... so that one has been marked off of my list. Now... I think I will be gunning for the next Espial and it looks like I will have to beat out a few people.

[Atarian7]

I paid around $70 for my Espial a few (several?) years ago. I've only seen it come up for auction one or two other times.

[Tempest]

For the right price I might let my mint in box Espial go.

 

For the RIGHT price...

 

Tempest

[StanJr]

I've seen maybe 3 copies of Espial at conventions over the past 10 years. And most of those were 5+ years ago. I too have noticed the drought on ebay. I think the rarity is low. I would lobby for an 8 on it.

[+swlovinist]

Easily Espial should at least be an 8, or 9. What is the next step to get the rarity changed on this? It seems that many folks here agree that the rarity is too low.

[+Psionic]

What is the next step to get the rarity changed on this?

You'll need to collect at least 25 signatures and have the form notarized before submitting it to the AtariAge review board for final approval.

[Cebus Capucinis]

What is the next step to get the rarity changed on this?

You'll need to collect at least 25 signatures and have the form notarized before submitting it to the AtariAge review board for final approval.

 

That's only for it to go to sub-committee. If approved, it goes to full committee for debate, assuming of course that the committee members aren't on vacation on their 6-months out of the year vacation periods and your timing is just right. There will be a lot of media talking about "drawing sides" and "reaching across the aisle", as the Espial debate is a very heated one and there are lots of varying opinions. Of course, there will be lobbyists for Tigervision pushing cash in to ensure the cart gets a rarer rating, as it will increase sales prices, but there will also be lobbyists from all other companies trying to keep the rarity down. Whoever funnels the most cash into the committee will get the thumbs up or thumbs down, depending. This is a tough battle to fight, and rarely does anything get past this stage, as the AtariAge committee members are generally not interested in the average collector, just in keeping their own salaries and lobbying benefits.

 

Assuming it goes past, it now goes to the AtariAge bicameral floor for debate, which is where things turn into a MAJOR circus. PBJ and I will likely be beating our shoes against the counter and screaming loudly in either support or lack thereof and there will be that one guy who decides to read Shakespeare for fifteen days straight in an attempt to make us all bored to the point of not voting on it (my money is on iwan). After all these shenanigans, and assuming the Shakespeare guy doesn't make us all leave and force a non-vote, a vote will be taken on the floor. This is when all the AtariAge floor members go back to their offices and count how many lobbying dollars they individually have gotten and vote depending on which company gave them the most. Some AtariAge floor members will attempt to add things to the vote to get their own pet projects started like creating repro boxes or inserts, etc. These generally won't help the Espial cause and will likely turn other voters away, but you never know.

 

If it passes in the vote (and let's be honest, it's a miracle it even got this far in the first place), it will go to the big cheese, the head honcho, Mr. Albert's desk! He will likely get it lost in a gigantic stack of papers and it will get forgotten for a number of months, but as soon as the latest AtariAge citizen poll comes out stating that members are thinking he is not getting enough done, somehow he will magically find it and at that time (once again depening on how many lobbying dollars actually made it to his personal office) either sign the vote into AtariAge policy or decide to use his AtariAge executive veto power, thus starting the process all over again. As stated this all depends on how close the AtariAge re-elections are, as none of us AtariAge floor members want to actually go out and have to get REAL jobs or anything like that at all.

 

Remember, these are all procedures that our AtariAge founding fathers (Albert and Alex) created and thus the procedure is the core of what makes AtariAge so great! Isn't AtariAge democracy wonderful?

 

This is all, of course, assuming you don't believe in the AtariAge Illuminati, which may influence the vot---I've said too much. You don't believe in the AtariAge Illuminati? Good. Very good. Keep up the good work, citizen.

[Frostbite Bailey]

This reminds me of a song, "Too Much Time on My Hands"!

[Cebus Capucinis]

This reminds me of a song, "Too Much Time on My Hands"!

 

Hey now, it's Turkey Day, I finally have a day off work....

[Frostbite Bailey]

This reminds me of a song, "Too Much Time on My Hands"!

 

Hey now, it's Turkey Day, I finally have a day off work....

Oh ya...I forgot that you Americans are a month behind us with your Thanksgiving celebrations. Happy Thanksgiving! So that means I can go home from work today and watch NFL games until midnight and drink beer. God love you Americans! Your day off work has made for an interseting read. Cheers, FB

[Buyatari]

Loose or rare, you got the only one I have seem on Ebay in 3 years.

 

I watched that auction and should have bid. I cried when I saw the final price, but am glad you got it. It think it was a steal.

 

As far as I am concerned, it should get as much as River Patrol, but it doesn't have the "Rarity Fame" for some reason.

That's because a stash of these were found a few years ago. Most collectors with deep pockets already have this CIB, so it tends to drive down the price... River Patrol CIB is a totally different ball game

 

That must have been it. I know I have multiples complete buried in the attic. Some of the other Tigervision were much tougher for me to track down complete. CIB Marauder was one of the hardest for me to find. Mind you this was like 10 years ago and much has changed but Espial was one of the easiest to find complete back then. That and Atari 8 bit Springer. I remember someone selling those NIB for what seemed like forever.

 

The old bulk finds that no one thought would end but have since dried up would make an interesting thread.

[homerwannabee]

Loose or rare, you got the only one I have seem on Ebay in 3 years.

 

I watched that auction and should have bid. I cried when I saw the final price, but am glad you got it. It think it was a steal.

 

As far as I am concerned, it should get as much as River Patrol, but it doesn't have the "Rarity Fame" for some reason.

That's because a stash of these were found a few years ago. Most collectors with deep pockets already have this CIB, so it tends to drive down the price... River Patrol CIB is a totally different ball game

 

That must have been it. I know I have multiples complete buried in the attic. Some of the other Tigervision were much tougher for me to track down complete. CIB Marauder was one of the hardest for me to find. Mind you this was like 10 years ago and much has changed but Espial was one of the easiest to find complete back then. That and Atari 8 bit Springer. I remember someone selling those NIB for what seemed like forever.

 

The old bulk finds that no one thought would end but have since dried up would make an interesting thread.

Then of course you got your old bulk finds that everyone wishes would dry up already. That being Motorodeo, and Ikari Warriors. It has gotten to the point that anyone who wanted this title has gotten this title. And now you can buy them for $60 for a pack of 6. I mean if say 10 years from now for some strange reason there was 10 times as many people these would still be being sold for $10 a pop with a stream of games still flowing from Venezuela.

[Tubular Gearhead]

I know I have multiples complete buried in the attic.

 

Wow, I will gladly take one of those off your hands for the right price.

 

Even loose is fine with me, I have been looking for this one...

[+Psionic]

Bulk find or not, this title should be at least an 8. The Digital Press guide has Espial pegged at R6 for all formats (2600, Atari 8-bit, C-64, TI 99/4A), which is WAY low overall. It took me forever to find the C-64 cartridge, even loose. Overall, the game is probably a solid R9 across the board. Although one could argue R8 for the 2600 version on account of the bulk find, it seems that find has pretty much dried up and has little effect (if any) on the rarity. All I know is that this game is very difficult to locate.

 

2600 Springer needs to be bumped up to a 7 or 8 as well.

[Trade-N-Games]

In 2004 I was looking for my last tigervision box and it was springer.Back then besides River Patrol most everyone was also looking for springer CIB.With Espial I was lucky and got one of the boxed ones almost new when more than a few were found and I think it was $50. When I worked in Ohio 1999-2001 for a few years mainly in Columbus I used to be the only one looking or I was real lucky with Tigervision games. I would find stacks of them at the few game stores in that town and the flea markets. Somedays I would find 3-4 of each title Miner 1& 2, King kong etc... but never River patrol. So yes Espial is rare but it was fairly easy to get up until the last 5 years. But I think its safe to say that about alot of games now for 2600 in there boxes.

[Buyatari]

I know I have multiples complete buried in the attic.

 

Wow, I will gladly take one of those off your hands for the right price.

 

Even loose is fine with me, I have been looking for this one...

 

I'm waiting till it gets rated an R11 then I'll dig emm out