Selling collection advice

[vw57drvr]

I am getting out of console collecting and going with emulation. I just can't store hardware anymore. I would rather sell the entire lot at once, even at a big loss. I don't really have anything rare aside from maybe my 4 switch woody new in box. I haven't looked over everything in years. We just moved and everything had to go in the attic. The question is how should I go about selling the lot? Lord knows what it would cost to ship everything. I'm in northwest Georgia. Here is a semi list of hardware from memory:

 

3 Atari 2600's loose. Various condition but they work.

1 2600 4 switch new in box

Atari 7800 working.

Atari 5200 working.

2-3 nes consoles. 1 has the box.

New old stock nes controller pair new in box.

Coleco gemini.

2 virtual boys. Both have exhibited the common issue of one lens working at times. Otherwise they used to work very well.

Sega master system. Used to work. Power cord missing.

Sega genesis working.

Sega dream cast working.

2 Super nes working. One only displays black and white. One complete in box

2 pong type clones.

1 telegames pong. Works but battery box is corroded.

1 new in box pair of rf 2600 controllers.

1 nes advantage new in box (I think)

Flashback 1

Sega gamegear

Tandy coco 2 with box, manuals, 1 original controller, and an original modem.

1 loose R.O.B for nes

Lots of loose Atari comics.

 

I have some games for all systems. I don't think any are rare. Some 2600 and 7800 carts are new in the box. Some I opened to play once or twice.

 

When I state working, that means they worked the last time I hooked them up. Some recent but some haven't been tested in years. I know that no one can estimate a price on what I have listed but how is the best way to go about it? I guess pictures of everything would be a good start. It's just a daunting task.

Edited February 16, 2017 by vw57drvr

[Keatah]

Congrats on the decision to move to emulation. More and more people are going this way. If you're so inclined, build up a robust PC in a semi-mini case. In it you will have room to add a R-Pi to help round out your experience. And perhaps even build-in one of the up and coming FPGA computers, too. All in the same space-saving case. Just a suggestion.

 

On the other hand, what you're listing isn't a whole hell of a lot of stuff. I can't imagine not being able to pack it efficiently. Just be absolutely sure you want to sell it all. Be sure none of it is sentimental or special childhood goodies and keepsakes.

 

Pictures will be a must if you're conducting sales here or elsewhere on the internet. Why not post here and see what happens?

[spacecadet]

There's work involved any time you want to sell anything; just accept that and I think you'll be able to move all this stuff. I'm unclear if you're intending to sell everything in one lot - that's going to be very difficult, especially with only common stuff. But it would be pretty easy to move most, if not all, of this individually.

 

I'd potentially buy the boxed SNES if you really are willing to let stuff go at a good price - I'm not really in the market but I'm interested if I could get it for less than they typically go for on Ebay.

 

I think you should put everything together and take one big photo, then at the same time just take a few individual photos of everything. You don't even need to move anything as you do it, just get a few different angles of each item.

 

List them for sale here with some asking prices. You could put them on Ebay if you don't get any bites here, but Ebay is more work. If you're lucky, some people would buy multiple items and you could be done with only 9 or 10 sales. I've done something like this (though I did do it on Ebay) - once you get going, it's kind of fun and not that much work.

[vw57drvr]

Yeah, I want to avoid eBay. I have almost quit buying from there. I thought about a small video game store, but they usually want it for nothing. I will set aside some time to dig it all out of the attic. Most of it is packed in plastic tubs and boxes so I will have to unpack it. As far as price, I think I will be well below eBay prices. Mostly because I would like it to go to people that want it and not eBay flippers.

 

As far as emulation, I have built a rPI3 for the 8bit/16bit stuff. I also have a wii that is running the home-brew channel but I like the pi better. I have a pretty powerful PC that runs arcade stuff pretty good. I love my consoles, but I am getting to that point in my life that makes it hard to drag out something when I want to play for an hour or so and have to pack it all back up.

Edited February 16, 2017 by vw57drvr

[Hyperboy]

I would be interested in the 4 switcher NIB if you decide to part it out. (Shipping would be reasonable on a single item).

[Tanooki]

If you decide to break that up amongst people here I saw a couple interesting things in that list I wouldn't bother with being stuck in a total lot of (personally) useless things.

 

Since you want to just do it all in one drop it'll get crazy. Probably best use Fedex as they have some solid prices on fairly large and heavier boxes where as the USPS rips you off hard going that route as they try and get people into those priority mail flat rate situations.

 

 

I am surprised to see you list you kept all that but lacking a list of any games at all. Kind of surprised you don't have any of the overly common Nintendo and Sega games in the least bit.

[vw57drvr]

As I said, I have games for all systems. It just isn't as easy to remember the individual games. I will get a picture of some of it when I get it out of the attic. This was just to give an idea of what type of stuff I have. For NES, I know I have common games such as:

 

rad racer

zelda

super mario bros

metroid

etc......

 

I just didnt see any point in trying to remember those. Sega was never my number 1 system so I dont have much for those. But I still have a few for them. And you are right. It might be better for me to make small lots. I dont really know how to price a lot of this stuff. I am not a hardcore collector, so some of my stuff may not be desirable to real collectors. One of the NES systems I bought when I was 14. It was the deluxe version with ROB. I kept it clean, but I played the crap out of it so it endured a lot. Then life happened and it got stored in less than ideal conditions so the box got destroyed. ROB started to yellow, as did the console. I started collecting old cameras several years ago, and now they are in storage also. Sucks to admit that life doesn't always allow for collections of child hood memories.

[Shawn]

Congrats on the decision to move to emulation. More and more people are going this way.

 

@Keatah: No they are not. Just because you stick to emulators doesn't mean the majority is in your favor.

 

@OP: Would love to see pictures and get some prices on your stuff. I'm interested.

[TurdFurgeson82]

Would be interested in the 5200 system

[ScottyDont00]

Sent a PM early today about a few items I am interested in.

[vw57drvr]

Sent a PM early today about a few items I am interested in.

 

Yep....got it. Let me get this stuff unpacked and get a few pictures. I will keep everyone in mind in order of who contacted me. I just dont want to get too overwhelmed as I work a lot. The other problem is where to put this stuff once I get it out of the attic. When we moved, we sort of downsized. I will get it worked out.

[Keatah]

@Keatah: No they are not. Just because you stick to emulators doesn't mean the majority is in your favor.

 

@OP: Would love to see pictures and get some prices on your stuff. I'm interested.

 

The rise of things like:

 

NES-mini, Retrobit-Generations, and other mini-consoles

60-all-in-one boards for arcade and home

China made "no-name" handhelds

Flashbacks

FPGA rigs

Tegra/Shield handhelds

Dingoo/Ingenic hendhelds

ARM SoC rigs from kickstarter and China

VirtualConsoles for Wii, XBOX, PS

Hacked XBOX, Wii, PS emulator setups

PC based software-only emulators (both single machine and MAME)

Bartops and MAME cabs

 

..all of it will disagree with you. Those things move like $1 hotcakes on a cold afternoon. All are built around emulation

 

Just because you're an original hardware aficionado doesn't mean you're representative of all gamers. While original is still desired by some people, it is becoming less practical. Less affordable and less available. And what is able to be acquired will sometimes need work. People are seeing that and opting for emulation. If not now, then in the near future. Because maintaining the old consoles will require a skillset that is harder to find. Even simple things like ensuring integrity of all contacts and sockets and cleaning the system turns into broadway production. Replacing caps and regulators and doing mods - a whole other beast

 

Emulation has become the premier way of playing the classics.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Keatah

[ntavio]

I'd be interested in a loose NES console (if it works) should you decide to break it up.

[Tanooki]

My advice to you is doing that small lots.

 

Value? There's a good way to do this or two.

 

The good way -- Bundle one game of ok value ($10-20) with a bunch of $5 and less value junk with the console as it will help it move as people get variety to start. Then anything that's $10-20 in value make a few small bundles and anything say $50+ sell one at a time to get the most in vs acceptable loss. The other -- just throw it all into one lot, and price it out using the lowest selling value (short of battered garbage) and then being a lot, slice off 1/3 of the cumulative value.

 

Just to help yourself and others, if someone here has a specific request and a price can be agreed upon then go for it as it'll be less hassle later with ebay abuse/fees or being royally screwed by some locally collector or worse 2nd hand shop that'll smile giving you 10-20% of the value.

 

If you do split things, I'm into Dreamcast and all things Gameboy and I have nothing against a common if it's fun and I lack it.

[Osgeld]

I just dont want to get too overwhelmed as I work a lot.

 

Make a spreadsheet with all the items and out to the side put the people's name in order of contact, its a little bit of work up front but saves you so much headache as you go

[vw57drvr]

Game boy is one of the things I don't have. Well, I do but it's crappy looking. The protective cover is off the screen and the old glue looks awful. Probably doesn't work. It was my brothers when he was a kid. It's scratched all up too. The dream cast works fine. I know I have crazy taxi. Shen mu I believe. And a jet game or two. A couple of things I know I forgot is an N64, Nintendo ds, and a psp 1000 running emulators. The last two I will probably hang on to. They are mint complete in box.

[icemanxp300]

As a collector/reseller myself in my opinion "this is based on what your time is worth though", in my opinion any game worth over $20 gets sold by itself or coupled w/like games that will only add value. Take like nes TMNT games, III should be sold separate unless you have 1 and 2 then they are best sold as a set. However if you only have TMNT 1 then go ahead and lump it w/other common games.

 

I personally would rather spend an extra hour if it means I can profit an extra $20, that's just me though. Some people would rather be done in 10 minutes and take a $20+ loss, which has always baffled me especially when some of these people most certainly do not make $20+/hr.

 

You should also keep lots small, people are much more willing to spend $60 as compared to $180. That means you will sell 3 lots for $60 easier than 1 lot for $180. In reality you will sell 3 lots at $65 faster than 1 lot for $180.

 

People do NOT pay for extras, so don't include them. Such as selling a ps2 w/a memory card will not gain you 1 cent more. So do not include the mem cards, same w/rumble paks and so on. I sell all those separate and In lots. Just like nes sleeves, you will not get 1 cent more if you add a sleeve to a cart only but you can sell them for $1 each red logo or $.50 flat black in lots. I strip every cart only game from sleeves and generally sell the sleeves in lots of 50.

 

Whenever possible keep your package size smaller than 1728 cubic inches. That is 12x12x12 or whatever other combination. Once you go over that number shipping gets stupid crazy and you get bones hard by the USPS.

[Shawn]

As a collector/reseller myself in my opinion "this is based on what your time is worth though", in my opinion any game worth over $20 gets sold by itself or coupled w/like games that will only add value. Take like nes TMNT games, III should be sold separate unless you have 1 and 2 then they are best sold as a set. However if you only have TMNT 1 then go ahead and lump it w/other common games.

 

I personally would rather spend an extra hour if it means I can profit an extra $20, that's just me though. Some people would rather be done in 10 minutes and take a $20+ loss, which has always baffled me especially when some of these people most certainly do not make $20+/hr.

 

You should also keep lots small, people are much more willing to spend $60 as compared to $180. That means you will sell 3 lots for $60 easier than 1 lot for $180. In reality you will sell 3 lots at $65 faster than 1 lot for $180.

 

People do NOT pay for extras, so don't include them. Such as selling a ps2 w/a memory card will not gain you 1 cent more. So do not include the mem cards, same w/rumble paks and so on. I sell all those separate and In lots. Just like nes sleeves, you will not get 1 cent more if you add a sleeve to a cart only but you can sell them for $1 each red logo or $.50 flat black in lots. I strip every cart only game from sleeves and generally sell the sleeves in lots of 50.

 

Whenever possible keep your package size smaller than 1728 cubic inches. That is 12x12x12 or whatever other combination. Once you go over that number shipping gets stupid crazy and you get bones hard by the USPS.

 

All the above is solid advise.

[eightbit]

I say to each their own. If emulation suits you (and your needs) do it. Some do, some don't. Everybody has reasons for why they do or don't and I have heard thousands of them over the years. I do in some cases, don't in others. I still live and have a great time with all of my toys. It depends on what you really want on a personal level. Real or emulated. I wish I could emulate beer as that would save me a lot of money in the long run.

 

All that said, I truly believe FPGA is the premiere way to go for the best experience outside of the "real" hardware as it is not emulation but simulation. I have experienced it and I can say without a doubt that it is the way re-creation of vintage hardware will be handled in the future. It is actually handled this way right now with things like the MiST and other developments. I don't think many people truly understand the differences between software emulation and hardware simulation yet.

[Tanooki]

Yes it is, and that's why earlier I said for a larger box, USPS sucks use Fedex as UPS charges more than them, they're more abusive of boxes, and they're assholes because if you pay for 5 day shipping and it gets to them (destination side) in time to deliver on day 4 they won't which is just petty so I won't buy or sell from/to someone using UPS as brown is full of sh...

 

I also value it the same, if a game is worth $20 or better personally I will sell it alone unless you have other circumstances where a bundle lumps it higher than a split up sale (like the turtles trilogy.)

 

I though will include sleeves with games and have noticed in some cases it does add value, maybe not always more money in the long run, but it adds the value of my copy of a game moving before some one else with a same quality same price same shipping cost item that's naked without one. I've found getting rid of my Game Gear games lately those with dust clips (and this I've noticed on Gameboy too) sell better/faster. Not always, but a bit better. In general though when it does come to extras I never have a wall of memory cards, and I just hold onto stuff like that for when I find a system, then I make a total players bundle so people don't have to go fishing elsewhere. I find it helps move my console/handheld bundles faster and for a little more money than without. People are inherently cheap and lazy, but more lazy than cheap. So if you can have say a NES, a controller, the rf, power, and the smb/dh cart and get $50 more power to you. I'll throw one together with the usually missing 2nd controller, a/v cable, and maybe +3 $1-5 NES titles and I may get $10 more or $20 more, but I don't end up sitting on it long and that works fine by me.

[S.BAZ]

Emulation has become the premier way of playing the classics.

 

seems to me yourself and Shawn are getting kind of polarized here. Over-generalizing and exaggerating.

 

I'm pretty sure in reality both emulation AND classic hardware are becoming more popular, as retro-gaming has been getting more popular overall.

 

it's true all those forms of emulation you listed are selling a lot, but why ignore the fact that classic consoles & games are ALSO selling a lot more than before?

 

...rather than striving to assert that one is popular & the other isn't. ??

[Osgeld]

 

I'm pretty sure in reality both emulation AND classic hardware are becoming more popular,

 

I agree, having fallen in "the trap" more than a few times, I start emulating a system, get hooked and next thing you know I have it and starting a collection (though its more computer stuff for me than game consoles)

 

like wow this would be soo much better if I had the keyboard this game was designed for, or ya I can do CGA but it looks soo much cooler with ntsc color artifacts heh

[S.BAZ]

 

I agree, having fallen in "the trap" more than a few times, I start emulating a system, get hooked and next thing you know I have it and starting a collection (though its more computer stuff for me than game consoles)

 

like wow this would be soo much better if I had the keyboard this game was designed for, or ya I can do CGA but it looks soo much cooler with ntsc color artifacts heh

 

yeah lol

emulating Atari games was what made me crave to get a real Atari & NES & then the collecting madness began...

 

now I'm craving that Flashback Portable, been waiting for years for something like that!

[Keatah]

FPGA is emulation, just not on x86 or ARM hardware. Ask any professional developer.

 

People make the mistake of believing the FPGA recreates the chip's (TIA, 6502, GTIA, VIC-II, and more) exact internal layout. Same transistor and wiring layout. It does not. Ask any professional developer. Till it does it is an emulation, a simulation, whatever you want to call it. But it is not a recreation.

[Osgeld]

FPGA is usually worse as its a very closed echospehere tied to specific hardware

 

while you may be more impressed with the response of FPGA ... software vs plain software, its temporary effect, usually in communities that are not putting a bunch of effort in maintaining modern standards

 

if you are buying a specific box to emulate specific systems in specific configurations FPGA is the way to go, but in reality "near flawless" just about damn near everything emulation/simulation has been available on your OS of choice for 15 years now

 

and frankly I hate the word simulation when it comes to emulation, digital gates do not replicate analog circuits no matter how detailed they are, just add filters

Edited February 20, 2017 by Osgeld