yak_face

As a newbie to the hobby...made my first purchase New Years eve and have picked up 56 new/sealed boxed games since I am trying to understand the video game market place. I stumbled on some NES and SNES auctions. A sealed NES Super Mario 3 sells for $125.00 and a sealed NES Metroid sells for approx $275.00 yet Atari carts such as Pac Man (which was produced in similar quantities and is just as popular) sell for between $10-20 mint and sealed. The product is 10 years older as well. Am I right in assuming that most of us here are between ages 28-35? And although we also played the NES and SNES we were brought up on the 2600? So here is the real question...Using basic collecting principals : If 28-35 year olds buy 2600 games from their youth, than a 17-22 year old would be more interested in the NES and SNES games correct? If this is the case than why would the Atari catridges from a 10 year older system which would have a demographic (28-35) with a higher disposable income sell for multiples less than the newer system (NES)which which has a lower income bracket interested in it. If you understand my question please respond. I think there is one in there somewhere . I bought a new Metroid for the NES when I was 17...would I pay $275.00 for it now? Hell No...would I pay $275.00 for a sealed 2600 Pac Man...in a heartbeat, fortunately I only paid $20. I appreciate your input. Jim

I have heard of them before and others like it. They are fine if you don't have a home owners insurance policy but if you do your best bet would be to put a seperate rider on your policy. My toy collection has a quarter mil seperate rider which costs me only about a hundred bucks a year extra. I didn't need to provide an inventory either and only had to notify of changes in the collection when I increase/decrease the value of the policy. ie If I sell a $5,000 item and replace it with a $5,000 item they could care less. I think my agent thinks I am insane anyways. Anyways look with your regular insurance company first before setting up with a second carrier. Jim

Are these the only two white box variations and what we're they created for (a department store exclusive...perhaps?). Any enlightenment would greatly be appreciated. Jim

Thanks so much...Paul. Jim

I was just going through the rarity guide of this site and for Lock N' Chase by M Network it lists it as having a black label...mine is white...do I have something special here? Jim

I am looking for mint sealed copies of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. for the 2600 (Coleco and Atari boxes). Let me know your price and we will most likely have a deal. Jim

In my limited collecting time I have seen lots of information on label variations...but little on box variations. Like Activision carts that have the black stripe along the right hand corner touting the newness of the cartridge. Are they easier/harder to find than the other ones? Catridges with special offers printed on the box early/later in the run...what is out there? Does anyone know of a good place to learn this stuff? Jim

I was just checking ended auctions...to get a gauge on the price as well. They were all red boxes. This white box is from a guy In Canada and so am I so maybe the white version was the Canadian version. Jim

when I searched Ebay... all of the boxes were the red one and no sign of the white one. Jim

Yesterday I was going through my local thrift shop and I saw about 15 Sega Master System games. I inspected them all, all were in nice cases and all had instuctions and inserts but one. I asked the price...he said 2 bucks each and because I had only known 3 titles, I figured they might be a tough find. When I got home and scoured over some Sega Master Systems I found that most are Rares or Extremly Rares but one has me puzzled. The Rampage I got doesn't seemed to be listed anywhere. All I have seen is that Rampage was one of the few games to be sold in a red box...the one I have is in a white Sega box...is this anything special? Thanks. Jim

Yesterday I was going through my local thrift shop and I saw about 15 Sega Master System games. I inspected them all, all were in nice cases and all had instuctions and inserts but one. I asked the price...he said 2 bucks each and because I had only known 3 titles, I figured they might be a tough find. When I got home and scoured over some Sega Master Systems I found that most are Rares or Extremly Rares but one has me puzzled. The Rampage I got doesn't seemed to be listed anywhere. All I have seen is that Rampage was one of the few games to be sold in a red box...the one I have is in a white Sega box...is this anything special? Thanks. Jim

I have a line on picking up a few joypads for the 2600. Is there a demand for these and what do they usually sell for? Thanks. Jim

I am looking to buy boxed/sealed 2600 games made by Parker Bros, Activision, Coleco and of course Atari. I am a new collector paying cash and don't have much to trade. I am looking for close to mint boxes. Please email pics and price lists of anything you may have to yak_face@istar.ca(no spam). Thanks. Jim

I was just wondering how many Atari collectors collect sealed and boxed Atari games? As well does anyone know what a grading service is (like stamps, coins, cards and comics) and do you think it would be beneficial to the video game hobby. I see that item descriptions on Ebay seem to be very vague. "Oh this box is in excellent condition for it's age", meaning it has a huge whole in the back and looks everybit it's 20 years or more. Out of the games I have won that are supposed to be mint, most have some sort of damage that if I had seen it in person I would have passed on. What are other peoples thoughts? I think the best part of this hobby is how cheap it is relatively. With toys if you bought a high end item you could never take it out of the package and play with it or else you would ruin it's value. With this hobby you can pay 10 bucks for a sealed game and $1.00 to buy one loose to play. Jim

Thanks for the tip...thats the one. None left though. I appreciate your help. Jim