Found an unopened ColecoVision on craigslist for $40.

[Mirage]

I think you should have taken the advice to open it. You have no way of knowing whether it was re-glued or not. It could be a used system in there. Open, inspect, test, photograph, then carefully put back exactly as it was (if it is new). Then decide. There is no right or wrong answer, either sell it or keep it, why would you ask anyone else which one of those is right?

[SlowCoder]

Im really starting to rethink selling this.

 

What does everyone here think? Should i sell it, or keep it?

You're the one who knows what you like to collect and play. So you're the only one who can answer your question.

 

If I'd found a NIB CV for $40 I'd pee my pants as soon as I received the console. No sense peeing yourself until it's in your hands.

 

And I happen to really enjoy my CVs, so a NIB would definitely remain in my stash. But if you're not so much a CV guy and think you can use the money in other ways, then by all means, pass the CV off to another gamer/collector who will appreciate it more.

[SwampFox56]

That was a very good awnser thank you. I do want a ColecoVision though. But I am more of a Jaguar person

[SwampFox56]

Im really starting to rethink selling this.

 

What does everyone here think? Should i sell it, or keep it?

You're the one who knows what you like to collect and play. So you're the only one who can answer your question.

 

Thanks for the good reply. I actually don't have a ColecoVision yet. I do really want one. But this is just worth to much money for me not to sell it. And besides. I am more of a Jaguar Collector anyways

 

If I'd found a NIB CV for $40 I'd pee my pants as soon as I received the console. No sense peeing yourself until it's in your hands.

 

And I happen to really enjoy my CVs, so a NIB would definitely remain in my stash. But if you're not so much a CV guy and think you can use the money in other ways, then by all means, pass the CV off to another gamer/collector who will appreciate it more.

[SwampFox56]

Im really starting to rethink selling this.

 

What does everyone here think? Should i sell it, or keep it?

You're the one who knows what you like to collect and play. So you're the only one who can answer your question.

 

If I'd found a NIB CV for $40 I'd pee my pants as soon as I received the console. No sense peeing yourself until it's in your hands.

 

And I happen to really enjoy my CVs, so a NIB would definitely remain in my stash. But if you're not so much a CV guy and think you can use the money in other ways, then by all means, pass the CV off to another gamer/collector who will appreciate it more.

 

Thanks for the good answer I do really want a CV, But this one is just worth to much money to keep. But anyways, my curiosity took over and I DID open it. It turns out that it WAS brand new! Everything had the plastic on it, except the CV console its self, and the game. I tested it just breifly without taking the plastic off, and it works just like new!

 

I am still selling it though, even though I want a CV console. And like you said, CV collecting is your thing. Jaguar collecting is my thing

[the-topdog]

I put the reserve at just a little over $100

 

If by "just a little over" you mean $49

[Dreammary]

Im really starting to rethink selling this.

 

What does everyone here think? Should i sell it, or keep it?

 

 

To late its already sold, but if I were you I would have kept it. You will never see a unused one again, guaranteed.

[Murph74]

Well, looks like it sold for $149. Which is more than expected based on teh condition. (I had emailed the seller asking for additional pics, didn't see this thread first for whatever reason.)

 

That box is in pretty sad condition for a sealed box IMO. I think you did the right thing NOT opening it, but selling it. As a collector, I'd prefer to have a better specimen if I were going to keep it- but that's just me, I'm sure someone feels they got a bargain on this!

[Zwackery]

Well, looks like it sold for $149. Which is more than expected based on teh condition. (I had emailed the seller asking for additional pics, didn't see this thread first for whatever reason.)

 

That box is in pretty sad condition for a sealed box IMO. I think you did the right thing NOT opening it, but selling it. As a collector, I'd prefer to have a better specimen if I were going to keep it- but that's just me, I'm sure someone feels they got a bargain on this!

 

True. If I was looking for a NIB one to open, this would've been a great candidate. I wonder if it still had that "new Coleco" smell. And the sticks should be in great playing condition.

[+Yurkie]

It would still be very likely to have controller and power switch issues, even if it had never been opened. I disagree that leaving this crappy condition boxed CV unopened did him any favors in selling it. I think that sliding it out without removing contents from bottom styrofoam would have yielded a higher selling price. I have serious doubts this CV was not slide back in and end flap reglued. Be a nice scam to keep from having to show it working.It also wouldn't surprise me if people didn't see that listing and think.."Why couldn't I glue the box shut and sell as new"

[SwampFox56]

To be honest with everyone I did open it. And it wad Brand new in there. The plastic was on everything. The conciliate were new never used. And the ColecoVision had no ware on it what so ever. I told the guy that I sold it to that I opened it and that it was in perfect condition. And that (I think) actually made him happier with his purchase

[HollowBeers]

What is the new smell like, burned plastic and electronics?

[Zwackery]

What is the new smell like, burned plastic and electronics?

 

CV always smelled distinct to me, like the plastics and styrofoam combined for a particular scent.

 

I can't recall a "new" smell to my 2600, but the VCS carts always had a very distinct new smell to me, a mixture of the plastic from the carts and the cardboard used for the boxes. Once I opened a NIB trackball for the 5200 and got the same smell. Unfortunately, a lot of NOS games no longer have the same whiff of nostalgia.

 

Also, opening new Star Wars figures back in the day, those had a distinct plastic smell. Ahhhh....

 

The nasty Book of the Dead editions of the Evil Dead movies was a totally different kind of plastic funk.

 

Those particulates aren't particularly healthy but they do give me a rush of memories and emotions.

[NIAD]

What is the new smell like, burned plastic and electronics?

 

CV always smelled distinct to me, like the plastics and styrofoam combined for a particular scent.

 

I can't recall a "new" smell to my 2600, but the VCS carts always had a very distinct new smell to me, a mixture of the plastic from the carts and the cardboard used for the boxes. Once I opened a NIB trackball for the 5200 and got the same smell. Unfortunately, a lot of NOS games no longer have the same whiff of nostalgia.

 

Also, opening new Star Wars figures back in the day, those had a distinct plastic smell. Ahhhh....

 

The nasty Book of the Dead editions of the Evil Dead movies was a totally different kind of plastic funk.

 

Those particulates aren't particularly healthy but they do give me a rush of memories and emotions.

Very true... I came across a new in the box Roller Controller and when I opened it up I to got that distinct scent/smell that I experienced oh so many years ago.

[HollowBeers]

Well then. Having never smelled a foamed CV before, that must be what I am smelling with one that I picked up this week. It is a super clean console that is still in box with foam. No power switch issues or anything. I thought the smell might be some type of cleaner cause this thing is SUPER clean!

m

What is the new smell like, burned plastic and electronics?

 

CV always smelled distinct to me, like the plastics and styrofoam combined for a particular scent.

 

I can't recall a "new" smell to my 2600, but the VCS carts always had a very distinct new smell to me, a mixture of the plastic from the carts and the cardboard used for the boxes. Once I opened a NIB trackball for the 5200 and got the same smell. Unfortunately, a lot of NOS games no longer have the same whiff of nostalgia.

 

Also, opening new Star Wars figures back in the day, those had a distinct plastic smell. Ahhhh....

 

The nasty Book of the Dead editions of the Evil Dead movies was a totally different kind of plastic funk.

 

Those particulates aren't particularly healthy but they do give me a rush of memories and emotions.

Very true... I came across a new in the box Roller Controller and when I opened it up I to got that distinct scent/smell that I experienced oh so many years ago.

[Murph74]

It would still be very likely to have controller and power switch issues, even if it had never been opened. I disagree that leaving this crappy condition boxed CV unopened did him any favors in selling it. I think that sliding it out without removing contents from bottom styrofoam would have yielded a higher selling price. I have serious doubts this CV was not slide back in and end flap reglued. Be a nice scam to keep from having to show it working.It also wouldn't surprise me if people didn't see that listing and think.."Why couldn't I glue the box shut and sell as new"

 

Yurkie, this is personal preference I'm sure, but to me the value gets cut in half once it's opened. Drives me nuts when I see auctions that say "Only opened to show what's inside- it WAS new til I did!" lol

 

As for verifying it's new, sealed and not resealed, to me is pretty simple. Assuming you have physical access to it or can ask for specific pictures, Coleco used a pretty thick single bead of a "liquid nails" looking glue in a rounded bracket shape. It's hard to describe in words, but if you've seen it, it's easy to pull a flap up slightly to see if it's the original bead or not. I don't recall ever seeing that bead of glue broken without paper rip to accompany it! (If I'm not being clear enough verbally, I can snap a pic or two to show you what I'm talking about.)

Edited April 17, 2011 by Murph74

[+Yurkie]

It would still be very likely to have controller and power switch issues, even if it had never been opened. I disagree that leaving this crappy condition boxed CV unopened did him any favors in selling it. I think that sliding it out without removing contents from bottom styrofoam would have yielded a higher selling price. I have serious doubts this CV was not slide back in and end flap reglued. Be a nice scam to keep from having to show it working.It also wouldn't surprise me if people didn't see that listing and think.."Why couldn't I glue the box shut and sell as new"

 

Yurkie, this is personal preference I'm sure, but to me the value gets cut in half once it's opened. Drives me nuts when I see auctions that say "Only opened to show what's inside- it WAS new til I did!" lol

 

As for verifying it's new, sealed and not resealed, to me is pretty simple. Assuming you have physical access to it or can ask for specific pictures, Coleco used a pretty thick single bead of a "liquid nails" looking glue in a rounded bracket shape. It's hard to describe in words, but if you've seen it, it's easy to pull a flap up slightly to see if it's the original bead or not. I don't recall ever seeing that bead of glue broken without paper rip to accompany it! (If I'm not being clear enough verbally, I can snap a pic or two to show you what I'm talking about.)

 

I just looked at my CV box and it has a single straight line of glue, and there is no way to lift and look at the sealed side to see if it had been reglued.

 

In less you got the seller to let you open it in front of them before purchase it would be a total gamble.

[Murph74]

I disagree-- not to say it's foolproof, but I'm 99% sure I could identify a factory seal from a re-seal without opening the box. I get that you can't see PAST the glue line, but being able to see up to it would be enough in most situations. Again, the trick would be to look for any tearing n either side of the flap. Could someone pull a fast one by heating the glue or something? Probably. But I doubt someone would take the time to do so just to swap the contents. And even if they did, in my mind, the gamble would be on THEIR end to not leave evidence behind.

[Zwackery]

I disagree-- not to say it's foolproof, but I'm 99% sure I could identify a factory seal from a re-seal without opening the box. I get that you can't see PAST the glue line, but being able to see up to it would be enough in most situations. Again, the trick would be to look for any tearing n either side of the flap. Could someone pull a fast one by heating the glue or something? Probably. But I doubt someone would take the time to do so just to swap the contents. And even if they did, in my mind, the gamble would be on THEIR end to not leave evidence behind.

 

Well, those glue lines can fail on their own. Case in point, I purchased a NIB Imagic storage center (for the Atari 2600). Much to the horror of Iwan, I said I was going to open it. Once I received it, all I did was slightly push in on either side of the sealed end and the entire glue line easily popped away leaving no visible sign of stress to the box or to the glue line itself. I could just put some super glue on the glue line and seal it again and no one would be any the wiser. I also had a similar glue line just let go due to age on a NIB & shrinkwrapped deck of Atari Realsports Football playing cards I bought from stlouisrams. As soon as I took of the shrinkwrap, the bottom just went poink and was no longer sealed. Again, visually it looks perfect - no stress or rips or anything. A little bit of glue would reseal it perfectly.

[+Yurkie]

 

Well, those glue lines can fail on their own. Case in point, I purchased a NIB Imagic storage center (for the Atari 2600). Much to the horror of Iwan, I said I was going to open it. Once I received it, all I did was slightly push in on either side of the sealed end and the entire glue line easily popped away leaving no visible sign of stress to the box or to the glue line itself. I could just put some super glue on the glue line and seal it again and no one would be any the wiser. I also had a similar glue line just let go due to age on a NIB & shrinkwrapped deck of Atari Realsports Football playing cards I bought from stlouisrams. As soon as I took of the shrinkwrap, the bottom just went poink and was no longer sealed. Again, visually it looks perfect - no stress or rips or anything. A little bit of glue would reseal it perfectly.

 

Thanks for the information Zwackery. +1

[Murph74]

Zwackery, not intending to drag this out further, but I'm yet to see the glue Coleco used lose it's grip over time. Not to say it can't happen, I just haven't experienced it. I *have* seen it with some other manufacturers. And while I even admitted someone could, with enough effort, fool someone into thinking a box was the original seal, my point was, would it be worth it for $40?

[Zwackery]

Zwackery, not intending to drag this out further, but I'm yet to see the glue Coleco used lose it's grip over time. Not to say it can't happen, I just haven't experienced it. I *have* seen it with some other manufacturers. And while I even admitted someone could, with enough effort, fool someone into thinking a box was the original seal, my point was, would it be worth it for $40?

 

I suppose if someone was going to go through the trouble to fake an original seal, it would be on a better condition box so more money could be charged.

 

In this case, with the box being so dogged out, I would have pushed the minty freshness and completeness of the interior contents.

[+Yurkie]

 

I suppose if someone was going to go through the trouble to fake an original seal, it would be on a better condition box so more money could be charged.

 

In this case, with the box being so dogged out, I would have pushed the minty freshness and completeness of the interior contents.

 

The poor condition of the box, seemed to me all the more reason to open it and take a photo of the contents. There was a dirty unit boxed that sold for around $200, the seller hyped the condition and completeness. To me it looked like the average unit with a box and was worth about $100 IMO. People get crazy trying to win Ebay auctions.