How much on average do you pay?

[moycon]

I was at the flea market (for real this time) a few weeks back. I was pleasently suprised that I saw a pretty fair amount of Atari stuff. One show was selling loose carts for the flat rate of $3 or 2 for $5 there were about 60 or so carts and about half were 3rd party. None really stood out as being super rare. Some ones I remember were Pitfall 2, Journey Escape, Burger Time, Encounter at L5. There was another shop selling everything for $5 apiece including some boxed commons. My question is how much is too much? I didnt buy anything at the market (altho there were a few I wanted) because I felt like I could buy bigger lots off ebay cheaper. How much does everyone pay when the go thrifting? Is 2 for $5 too much? Or does it depend on the rarity?

[Rhindle The Red]

I have a simple set of rules I go by.

 

1. I'll pay $2.00 for any loose game I don't have.

2. I'll pay $1.00 for any extra (box, instructions) I don't have.

3. I'll pay a maximum $5.00 for a game I don't have if it's a 5 or higher.

4. I'll buy any game I already have for $1.00 if it's a 4 or higher (to sell later) or to upgrade my current copy.

5. I can break any rule I want if it's a significant enough game.

6. There is no rule 6.

7. No pooftahs.

The laws are written.

The policeman is hired to see that those laws are enforced.

[Junie]

I will buy any loose game I find even if it's Combat if it's around $1 or less. If the game is boxed I have paid $3 something each for 2600 MS. Pac-Man and 7800 Donkey Kong.

 

I buy it simply because Atari items are hard to find in my area so if I managed to find something in the "wild" I'll buy it simply so I have it.

 

I'll buy anything video game related for any system if the price is right, I own 8 different game systems and own games for 11 different systems

 

For common games loose I wouldn't pay $3 each, I might pay upwards to $2 each. Of course if the game is rarier I will pay more. For example I paid $10 recently for H.E.R.O. loose (no manual or box).

 

So typically I will pay upwards of $2 for common games or upwards of $4 for boxed common games.

 

If I own the game, the manual, box, etc. already or not makes no differnce to me, if it's video game related and the price is right I'll buy it as long as I have the money. Of course if I have limited funds I will buy the items I don't currently have first.

[moycon]

quote

I'll pay a maximum $5.00 for a game I don't have if it's a 5 or higher

 

Do you use Atari Ages rarity guide to determine this?

[Rhindle The Red]

quote:

---

Originally posted by moycon:

Do you use Atari Ages rarity guide to determine this?

---

There's something else?

Come on in. I'm headed right for the kitchen. 

I can't let that dinner burn.

You know I thought I was going to have to eat alone tonight.

[jahfish]

if nobody here would bid more than 5$ for carts, then the whole atari collecting thing would be worth a penny anymore ...

[MoonlightKnight]

Hey, I 've paid alot more than $5 for some of my collection! ~cough~ Waterworld ~cough~

 

I usually try to buy things that I'm reselling for around $1 each. That's for a cart or a manual. Most people I sell to don't care about boxes so this is optional to me.

[Stella'sGhost]

Ive paid 2$ to 35$, Canadian. For me it depends on what condition the label is in and whether or not I have the game and how rare it is, though I dont really go by rare lists as written in stone. I will pay more for a game I have never seen in years, like a 7 - 10 on Atari-Ages rare list if I get the urge. I dont think these games are as rare as they seem to be, so many were made, they are all hiding in basements - waiting....Ebay inflates prices, so dont get carried away there, but its a fun place to go. I still believe that I will find even the rarest game for a loonie given time - though do I really want to wait that long????

 

[ 03-01-2002: Message edited by: StellasGhost ]

[jahfish]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MoonlightKnight:

Hey, I 've paid alot more than $5 for some of my collection! ~cough~ Waterworld ~cough~

---

 

i shouldn't tell you but i got all three comics for 1$ plus 1.60$ shipping to germany

 

but it was plain luck, they were in a completely different category so nobody saw it. the honesty counter was saying 004 or 005 ....

 

i payed pretty much for my copy ..... but it's a beautifull one. thanx jens

[jahfish]

otherwise i spend tons of money on ebay ..... i have to "wash" the money for the consola nostra

[ATARIPITBULL]

well I have to say that about 90 percent of my 2600 collection comes from ebay, but if I found something that is not in my collection that I want, like a loose copy of Quadrun, I would pay up to about $125.00 for it at a flee market.

[Adrian M]

Not that much. If I see a game I really like or want, I won't hesitate to pay more than $5, especially if it's still sealed in the box.

 

For loose carts, finding them in the wild in my area is all but impossible. My recent Funcoland discovery resulted in me paying an average of $1.50 per cart. Pretty sweet!

[NE146]

Almost all of my 2600 games I have paid anywhere from $20-$35.

 

 

...course this was back in the 80's and it was at Sears but there ya go

[Doc4]

I pay on average $3.00 a game. That includes the Salvation Army (Outrageous and just went up to this price). At the local GameXchange I pay up to $2.99 and as low $1.99. Which I also feel is outrageous but what else can I do? I have to have my fix. Ebay is my only oher option. It's rough living here in the armpit of america, Arkansas.

[Scooterb23]

I will buy any game I don't have under $3. I still have places that have 50 cent 2600 carts, but they don't get new ones in that often they do have roughly 80 Combats

[King Asmo]

I've paid anywhere from 33 cents to $20 for a 2600 cart.. I'm sure I'll be paying a lot more than that in the future, but I haven't gotten to the point where I only need a couple dozen carts to finish my collection (I've got about 350+ different games in the collection right now), and I've been able to find some really rare games at thrifts/garage sales/etc.

 

If you're looking for games for a couple bucks a piece, you could always check out my website. [plug]

[legeek]

Wow, My range is from FREE to around $500(only once). My average is probably around $5-10 per cart...

 

BTW Moycon...

J+J's Flea in Athens has a vendor with a large, but mostly common stash of carts for a buck each. Unfortunately (for us, not him) he knows which to eBay!

 

It's funny, he used to have a videogame store off Jimmy Carter blvd near 85, back when I was first really getting into collecting (around 93-94) and he didn't stock any atari stuff...

 

[ 02-28-2002: Message edited by: legeek ]

[Markimus of K.]

This is a very immersive and opinionated subject.

 

It all depends on what a particular cart is worth to you. If you don't have it, it's obviously worth a lot more to you. For example: I paid $16.00USD to Used Videogames.com about one year ago for a mint boxed Robot Tank. At the time I had a really hard time finding it and of course wanted to play it badly!

 

So, I got It and now I'm happy; I had to do similiar things for other carts too. For example; I paid $5.00USD for a copy of Kaboom! that had half its end label missing. I just really wanted to Play It!

 

What it comes down to is: are you a Player? or are you a collector? I'm right in between, I love playing, but also love collecting: I got a shrink-wrapped Gravitar for $7.00USD about 8 months ago that I don't have the heart to open.

 

I've also got approx 5 Atari 7800, 6 Jaguar, 20 Playstation, & 10 Dreamcast games still in the cellophane. I keep saying, 'I'm saving these for a rainy day!'.

 

Having said that, what do you guys/gals think? Am I a Collector, or a Player?

 

all I know is I like video games.....

 

As always,

Markimus of K.

[Stella'sGhost]

Just to give some perspective, I have a reciept dated 06/08/85 from consumers ( - I dont know if they had them in the states) The price: $39.88, the game: Star Wars the Arcade Game. I put the bill in the games box in 1985 and its been there ever since! ( by the way I didnt' pay for it, my dad did!!hee hee)

 

Oh, I don't know what 40 dollars Canadian was in comparison to todays dollars, but it is probably like spending 80 dollars today, which is what some GameCube games cost !

 

[ 03-01-2002: Message edited by: StellasGhost ]