Extreme Collectors TV Show and Extra Terrestrials

[CincYnoTi]

Stumbled upon a show called Extreme Collectors this weekend which happened to have a segment on Syd Bolton video game collection:

 

http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/extreme-collectors-2013/episode-4-season-1/reliving-the-50s/586990

 

This was originally aired a year ago, so apologies if it has already been posted. Searching on Terrestrials didn't hit upon this show. The narrator pulled a boxed copy of Extra Terrestrials off the shelf and said something like "I value this boxed copy at $10,000, only four are know to exist." Anyone here know details on who owns the other three besides Syd and when they were discovered.

 

Another tidbit was that the host valued Syd's collection at $600,000. Not sure if that would be book value or an estimate of selling the entire collection at auction...probably the former.

 

 

[Necron99]

check this out

[awhite2600]

The box shown on the TV show was created for the reproduction cartridges that were sold a couple of years ago. The original box has never been found - although they would have been sold back in the day. I created the "new" box based on the artwork on the cartridges that were found. The box shown on TV contained one of the known original carts, not one of the reproductions.

 

The article linked above by Necron99 has details of the four known copies. The Personal Computer Museum has been told of one or two other copies but we have not received any proof that these copies exist.

 

The estimate for the entire collection was given by the expert that came in to do the appraisal. He did not state how he arrived at his estimate.

 

You can view the TV segment here.

[Torr]

Wow, according to that worldwide sales map, very few were sent to Canada and one was sent very close to where I live in Newfoundland, I didn't know there was a fellow Atariphile so close!

Edited September 22, 2014 by Torr

[freewheel]

I'm more fascinated by the fact that all 4 are accounted for, and none are available for sale. Makes me wonder what the value truly would be.

[awhite2600]

I'm more fascinated by the fact that all 4 are accounted for, and none are available for sale. Makes me wonder what the value truly would be.

 

The details of the four known copies are mentioned in the link above. The Personal Computer Museum owns three of the copies. A prototype copy that was the original discovery / donation, a final version copy donated by Herman Quast (the programmer of the game) and a copy located by one of the museum volunteers. Herman Quast also has a copy that he intends to keep. These are the four known copies.

 

The original discovery of the game generated a fair amount of media coverage. As a result, The Personal Computer Museum was contacted by at least one other person who claims to have a copy of the game. None of these claims have been verified by photos or physical inspection of the game.

 

The owners of the company that produced Extra Terrestrials were located and contacted. They no longer have any copies of the game or the original box.

 

We were told that a few hundred copies of the game were sold directly to retailers in Ontario, Canada in early 1984. It is still unknown if any additional copies of the game exist. The value stated on the TV show is the opinion of the appraiser. The Personal Computer Museum is a not for profit organization that aims to preserve past computer and game artifacts so that they can be enjoyed for years to come. As a result, they will not sell any of the copies of Extra Terrestrials in their collection. It would be like the Louvre Museum selling one of their paintings to a private collector.

[Mayhem]

Someone posted on the RetroCollect.com forum a couple of days that they had an original copy, and I pointed them in this direction. Hopefully they'll join and post about it...

[SoulBlazer]

 

The details of the four known copies are mentioned in the link above. The Personal Computer Museum owns three of the copies. A prototype copy that was the original discovery / donation, a final version copy donated by Herman Quast (the programmer of the game) and a copy located by one of the museum volunteers. Herman Quast also has a copy that he intends to keep. These are the four known copies.

 

The original discovery of the game generated a fair amount of media coverage. As a result, The Personal Computer Museum was contacted by at least one other person who claims to have a copy of the game. None of these claims have been verified by photos or physical inspection of the game.

 

The owners of the company that produced Extra Terrestrials were located and contacted. They no longer have any copies of the game or the original box.

 

We were told that a few hundred copies of the game were sold directly to retailers in Ontario, Canada in early 1984. It is still unknown if any additional copies of the game exist. The value stated on the TV show is the opinion of the appraiser. The Personal Computer Museum is a not for profit organization that aims to preserve past computer and game artifacts so that they can be enjoyed for years to come. As a result, they will not sell any of the copies of Extra Terrestrials in their collection. It would be like the Louvre Museum selling one of their paintings to a private collector.

Thanks for the extra info, very interesting.

 

It's tempting to speculate how much a confirmed copy of the game WOULD sell for if one turned up and was legit. 10k seems about right, but I could see it going for even more. Ah, if only I could be so lucky.

[Mskittyandbigboy]

Hi everyone. I have been bugging a few of you from the Atari community about Extra Terrestrials. It is a genuine, for sure, original copy. Kind of a nice story as my friend found it while cleaning out her Moms house after she passed away. She plans to share the proceeds with her 2 brothers. I am no video game expert but have collectibles in my blood, my family has owned a gift/collectible store for 34 years. I am just helping my friend find a true value and get the most out of it, not like she has a dozen of them. (We wish!) There is no box, and as no copy has been found with a box I have a funny feeling they came in just a plain sleeve, but who knows. The label has some staining from the adhesive in the original glue, but it does work. There is a youtube video of her playing the game, but I can't seem to find it. I will ask her to join here and post the link. She has been in talks with a private collector and the Video Game History Museum, but both have offered less than I think she should take. Would really appreciate any info anyone here could offer us. Is the best bet an online auction? Do Gamegavel auctions with reserves usually sell? I know for some reason ebay buyers stay away from reserve auctions. Looking forward to any advice, thanks!

[CPUWIZ]

I think I saw that cart already, I've been emailed a picture of it. I would list it at $0.99 without reserve and let the market decide what it is worth. Some collectors, like me, are not interested in it, because it is not complete without manual and box to me.

[Mskittyandbigboy]

I think the auction could get very interesting!

[Torr]

Don't be greedy, I'm sure the museum offered what it was "worth"

 

I find the more people try to drive up the price of their stuff, the more I'm inclined it's a dupe.

Not accusing you of anything.

It's just funny how a game no one (really) has heard of or seen in 30 years, suddenly turns up in the most cliche way (elderly/cleaning). You are quick to point out it's flaws, which can easily be man-made.

Again, not accusing, and when I say 'you' I mean ANYONE that 'suddenly' has a game that just 'turns up' in the hand of a non-collector when there are literally HUNDREDS of collectors out there that buy random boxes of carts, hit every old persons garage sale, grabs any cart that's looks a little odd, etc... have never laid sight on it.

 

NOW, the next few lines, you could say I AM accusing you, but really, I'm interrogating.

When person X was cleaning their attic/whatever and found a box of Atari Carts, what made them pick THAT particular game and say I should find out whats this is worth, rather than (as most non-collectors would do) just assume it's another old vidia game like another but no one plays these plastic things anymore, it's all CDs! and toss it in a bin for sale that says "Atari System and Tapes - $10 o.b.o."

Maybe you decided to google each game title JUST to see values...

Well a Google search has AtariMania as the 3rd link, and there's a Contact link on the bottom of the screen, RomHunter seems the most logical to have been contacted first regarding you're discovery.

If we scroll down a little further there's a link to AtariAge and some sublinks below that that reference threads/topics discussing this game,.. the ONLY link to a forum discussing the game, so this should have been the second, if not the first place, you'd come to post the fact you have it and want to cash in.

But instead you took a LOOOOONG roundabout way of getting here... illogical, but it DOES help reinforce the idea that you are not a Game Collector/ReSeller and are unfamiliar with the online retro video game community doesn't it?

 

Way I see it, you started with nothing, put it on e-bay at 99 cents as recommended and see what it goes for. Greediness is very suspicious to me. If you're REALLY greedy/just looking to make money, put it in a safe and drop it on the market 5 years from now. Demand will have gone up and your 'finding it out of the blue' story will sound more plausible.

 

Plus you own a collectibles store... selling an item/bartering prices should come pretty naturally to you and you should know that you don't always get as much as you want and you sometimes have to take what you've been offered or just put it back on the shelf and wait for the next person that might want to buy it and hope they offer more.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Torr

[raregirl5]

Good evening everyone. I am the one with the fifth copy of the game. I didn't know what I had until three years ago. An article in my local newspaper talked about the original being donated to the Video Game Museum in Brantford, Ontario. In the story, they mentioned how the game was sold door-to-door. I thought for a minute and went to check my games. I remember a guy coming to our door and us buying it. I don't remember if it had a box. For some reason, I don't think there was a manual.http://youtu.be/TIhTpi3M3Ro. This is my first post. I have included pics and a link to a Youtube video I posted a couple months ago.

[Mskittyandbigboy]

WIP? Women in Prison or Work in Progress? LOL, I don't get it.

[raregirl5]

Hey Torr. Why do you have to be so mean? All MsKitty did was ask a question.

[+cvga]

raregirl5,

 

Thanks for sharing pictures and good luck with your sale! I love hearing about how people acquired rare games, both back in the day and today.

 

 

 

I wouldn't blame someone for trying to get as much as they can for a once-in-a-lifetime find.

[Mskittyandbigboy]

Torr, I don't sell retro stuff, it's all new, Barbie, Precious Moments, Etc. Cutesy girl stuff mostly, the odd Star Wars/trek collectors plate years back but I know next to nothing about retro games etc. I know that forums are a great way to connect with those that DO know, and I find most of the time people are super helpful and friendly. So yes, it took us the roundabout way to get to you all here, thanks to the advice of people we have contacted along the way. Thanks for the advice so far, hopefully we will have a happy ending.

[Torr]

I'm just a very skeptical person...

[freewheel]

To the 2 new folks - just as a head's up: games like this one have been the object of intense hoaxing and fraud in recent years. Often with elaborate back stories and incredibly well-done pictures, etc. So presuming your story is correct (and I'm inclined so far to believe it is), you'll just have to expect this sort of skeptical reaction. You are far from the first to appear "out of nowhere" with a "too good to be true" story. Look - if authenticated, this game is going to sell for (I hate using the term "worth) thousands of dollars. It could bring $10,000 or more. It's quite literally one of the rarest items in video game history. There is intense pressure on people to fake this sort of thing. And having been burned many times in the past, there is intense skepticism from some. I seem to recall seeing your Youtube video before, and I don't know that anyone came to any definitive conclusions as to the authenticity. One thing that you could look into doing is having an expert appraise/authenticate it. I don't know where you live, nor how able you are to travel. We are a bit of a small, loose community in this market/scene but there are a good number of people whose opinions are highly trusted. And they know what they're talking about.

 

As for how to sell it? If it's legit, trust me, you do not have to set a reserve - although I can't see one hurting if it's reasonable. The live auction at the Classic Gaming Expo this month had reserves on all sorts of things and people didn't seem to mind bidding. Make sure EVERYONE on this forum knows about it (not hard, people here talk). This is by far the most active Atari collector forum on the Internet, and if anyone's gonna pay thousands of dollars for a video game, they post here. Set a reasonably long auction and it will be bidded up in no time. If you're of the mindset of "well, this TV show said $10,000, so I won't sell for much less"... well, you have to realize that "niche market" doesn't even begin to describe Atari collecting. There are about a dozen people on the planet who are willing and able to pay the kind of money we're talking about. This is not Beanie Babies, this is not comic books/sports cards of the early 90s. Classic video games sell for a few dollars, and there is a only small number of people who even get into the "sure, I'll pay $500 for that rare, boxed copy" mindset. For what you have? While it may end up being "worth" $10,000 at auction, it may sell for half that or less (although personally I don't see it being that low). This is simply too small a market, and more importantly too immature. We don't yet have our Action Comics #1 and for the most part it's basically a bunch of middle-aged (or close) men trying to relive our youths. If you go into this expecting a minimum of what some random TV show personality said based on zero evidence, you're going to risk disappointment and potentially tarnish your reputation within this small community.

 

Another thing I will say that you may not realize - a museum will of course offer you less than you'd expect. They're a museum, not wealthy rabid collectors. Plus in this case they already have several copies. And a one-off collector will probably low-ball you. That's what we do. We don't make a lot of profit/fun by offering high off the hop.

 

I'd be curious where you live, where the game was bought, how much you've been offered, etc. If you don't feel comfortable posting publicly, shoot me a PM. I'm probably the last person to try to get involved in a financial sense - my limit on a game like this is something like $250, personally, so do not think I have any intention of buying this - but I've been involved in emerging collector markets for a long time now and I have an idea how these things tend to go down. And I've watched the step-by-step process here at Atari Age several times. I've seen the really good fakers, and I've seen the legit people get completely attacked by the larger population. Neither are fun to watch but sadly, but both are understandable to a degree.

[awhite2600]

It may be possible to fake a rare game as a scam. Extra Terrestrials was sold in a smaller than normal cart housing. No other cart used this type of housing. Creating a fake would require some fairly high end plastic molding equipment. The reproduction carts were sold in standard, reclaimed Atari shells.

 

I believe that the owner lives in the correct geographic region to have bought a copy back in the day. I too would be suspicious if someone in a distant city claims to have purchased the game at a discount store in the 80's. They just weren't distributed anywhere outside the Hamilton / Burlington area in Ontario. That's where the company that made the games is located. In fact the parent company is still in business today. All of the company owners and the programmer also still live in the area. The Personal Computer Museum is about 30 miles away.

 

When the cart was discovered a few years back there was quite a bit of local media coverage. The curator of the museum has a lot of media connections. He is always looking for publicity for the museum. It's very likely that the owner saw one of the stories, recognized the cart and dug it out of their basement / attic / closet. I do know that the museum was contacted by a woman claiming to have one of the carts. I don't believe that she tried to sell it to the museum. The museum offered to help assist with the sale of the cart, but the owner never responded.

 

In my opinion the value of $10,000 stated on the TV show was just a guess by the appraiser. While he may be an expert on collectibles in general he certainly wouldn't know what a true value for an extremely rare 2600 cart would be.

Edited September 24, 2014 by awhite2600

[Torr]

Freeweed summed up my opinions accurately and diplomatically.

 

Kudos.

 

I've often been known to be 'harsh'

[Mskittyandbigboy]

Looking at getting the cart authenticated. Watch this space!

[sydric]

Hey everybody - it's Syd Bolton here - the collector and in question and owner of the Personal Computer Museum and the cartridges we are talking about. I remember the skepticism when we first found this game - heck, *I* couldn't believe it. It's kind of cool now that the story has evolved and all that has happened. This game, in addition to being extremely rare, will be featured and now noted particularly when it comes to Canadian video game history since it was the only Canadian developed Atari 2600 game from "back in the day". The game will be featured in the upcoming documentary series "Outerlands" by Area 5 (who did the "Last of Us" documentary for Sony) with a great discussion between myself, the original programmer and the original sales guy.

 

Anyways, in terms of getting the cart authenticated, the Personal Computer Museum would be the most logical place to do so since we have the others to compare it against. And we would be happy to do so.

 

As far as the valuation of the cartridge, we did receive an offer for what we had at the time which is where the value was derived from.

[freewheel]

I believe that the owner lives in the correct geographic region to have bought a copy back in the day. I too would be suspicious if someone in a distant city claims to have purchased the game at a discount store in the 80's. They just weren't distributed anywhere outside the Hamilton / Burlington area in Ontario. That's where the company that made the games is located.

 

I live in Calgary now, and I'm holding onto a very, very tiny sliver of hope that a copy made its way out here. Thousands of people moved out here from S. Ontario in the mid-late 80s, when the oil companies all moved their head offices.

 

Actually considering the bizarre locations that a lot of the games I buy here come from (video rental shop stickers and receipts are the best kinda provenance), at this point I think I own a game from every single town over 10,000 people in this country.

 

[accousticguitar]

Did any of the original games ever get sold?