Fair price for a Jaguar

[Atari2008]

Sorry to bring up a topic that has probably been discussed to death, but realizing that it's the Jag's 20th anniversary has got me thinking that it might be nice to own one again. I've seen what the console goes for on eBay $100-$250 it seems. But I'm curious what would the cost be of a Jaguar console with the RF cable, 2 controllers and one loose cart? I'm trying to see if a Jag would be within my budget, of course I'll have to gauge my interest relative to the price, but it might be fun to jump back in the scene. Thanks!

[ls650]

Wow. I just took a look at eBay and some of the sellers are asking crazy prices for a base console. A few years ago you could buy a base with power supply, RF adaptor, a controller and one or two common carts (unboxed) for maybe $35-$40.

Now a lot of sellers are starting the bidding at $150+ for the same bundle!

[Atari2008]

Wow. I just took a look at eBay and some of the sellers are asking crazy prices for a base console. A few years ago you could buy a base with power supply, RF adaptor, a controller and one or two common carts (unboxed) for maybe $35-$40.

Now a lot of sellers are starting the bidding at $150+ for the same bundle!

That's why I asked, I noticed the wild prices on eBay. Wow, unreal. I think when I sold mine around 2004/2005, I sold it for around $40.

[NeoGeo64]

Yeah, folks on eBay are getting greedy. Just vote with your wallet and emulate.

[Austin]

That's why I asked, I noticed the wild prices on eBay. Wow, unreal. I think when I sold mine around 2004/2005, I sold it for around $40.

 

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I sold a nice boxed one a few years back for a whopping $50 (the same as what I paid). Now it's going to cost me three to four times as much to reacquire one.

 

I wonder if they are drying up, too? I put a WTB post for one in the marketplace forum a couple of weeks back, but no luck so far. Hmm.

 

B&C ComputerVisions (assuming they are still in business, their last update was July 2013) have NIB systems for $200 plus shipping. Or, "reconditioned" units with the box and instructions for $150.

[Blazing Lazers]

 

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I sold a nice boxed one a few years back for a whopping $50 (the same as what I paid). Now it's going to cost me three to four times as much to reacquire one.

 

I wonder if they are drying up, too? I put a WTB post for one in the marketplace forum a couple of weeks back, but no luck so far. Hmm.

 

B&C ComputerVisions (assuming they are still in business, their last update was July 2013) have NIB systems for $200 plus shipping. Or, "reconditioned" units with the box and instructions for $150.

 

Those B&C prices are pretty much the same as at Best Electronics:

 

http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/jaguar.htm

 

 

Sorry to bring up a topic that has probably been discussed to death, but realizing that it's the Jag's 20th anniversary has got me thinking that it might be nice to own one again. I've seen what the console goes for on eBay $100-$250 it seems. But I'm curious what would the cost be of a Jaguar console with the RF cable, 2 controllers and one loose cart? I'm trying to see if a Jag would be within my budget, of course I'll have to gauge my interest relative to the price, but it might be fun to jump back in the scene. Thanks!

 

B&C and Best are quite literally your best sources if you're looking to get into the Jag. I plan to be soon, and have been doing some research on the ever-rising prices, which have so far deterred me. Now would seem to be the last best time to buy, while the two veteran outfits still have NOS available. Once they don't you'll likely have no choice other than Ebay prices, which will not get any cheaper.

 

[Atari2008]

 

Those B&C prices are pretty much the same as at Best Electronics:

 

http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/jaguar.htm

 

 

 

B&C and Best are quite literally your best sources if you're looking to get into the Jag. I plan to be soon, and have been doing some research on the ever-rising prices, which have so far deterred me. Now would seem to be the last best time to buy, while the two veteran outfits still have NOS available. Once they don't you'll likely have no choice other than Ebay prices, which will not get any cheaper.

 

I've been looking at Best's and B&C's sites too because if I do get a Jag, I'd like to support an Atari store in the process, and not someone on eBay looking to make a quick profit. You're right this is probably the last best time to get a Jag, since Best and B&C will run out of Jags at some point. Maybe I'll save up and try to get one...I've been a bit on the fence, since I've seen what the prices are currently and since the game library isn't the greatest, although I remember liking quite a few titles when I had one. Might be fun to check out the homebrews too.

[ls650]

Yeah, folks on eBay are getting greedy. Just vote with your wallet and emulate.

 

Has emulation improved for the Jaguar? I played with Virtual Jaguar maybe a year ago, and thought it was extremely lacking at that time. Is it better now?

[Zerosquare]

Why don't you ask Shamus for a completely independent opinion?

[Christos]

A friend went to a dealer the other day and said, "I'd like a bag for my Atari Jaguar." The dealer replied, "Okay. Sounds like a fair trade."

[NinSEGA]

To be fair to the eBay sellers, eBay now takes a massive chunk out of you through seller fees, listing fees, final value fees, shipping fees (yes, they charge a percentage on your shipping), seller protection (definitely needed with expensive electronics) and PayPal fees. High-volume sellers get special treatment, and I doubt the majority of those listings are from eBay stores.

[108 Stars]

Retro gaming prices have gone through the roof in general, we have been having that discussion in German forums for two years now. It's just a boom, and the Jaguar makes no exception.

 

However, I have hopes that the bubble will eventually burst. Like most trends retro gaming may have a limited lifespan for most people, and when they get tired of it their stuff will go back on sale and prices will normalize.

 

It always makes me remember the comic book industry, where in the 90ies people started buying multiple copies of a comic book just to put them in a clear bag and wait for the value to rise. It worked for while, but eventually the market got fed up, prices dropped significantly and an overabundance of once treasured collector's items became available for little money.

[ls650]

Why don't you ask Shamus for a completely independent opinion?

 

LOL....

Well maybe I will fire up my old Windows laptop tonight and give the latest release a try.

[Atari2008]

I remember the Jag emulators being very slow on my laptop last time I tried, maybe I'll try again. I suspect my laptop is too old.

[Austin]

To be fair to the eBay sellers, eBay now takes a massive chunk out of you through seller fees, listing fees, final value fees, shipping fees (yes, they charge a percentage on your shipping), seller protection (definitely needed with expensive electronics) and PayPal fees. High-volume sellers get special treatment, and I doubt the majority of those listings are from eBay stores.

 

While I agree with you, I think you are missing the point: Jaguar system prices have *tripled* in the last two to three years. High eBay fees won't cause that kind of increase (theoretically, it should only add a 20% price jump if the fees are taken into consideration). The Jaguar is a system that's always been cheap to obtain, so the rise in price is bound to come as a shock to some.

[yllawwally]

Are people actually getting the 250 dollars. I just looked on ebay and there is a 85 system buy it now with free shipping. There is a complete in box one for 75 + 15 shipping. I think the expensive jags are simply wishful thinking on the part of the sellers. It seems the system is not quite double, what it went for 10 years ago.

[ls650]

I put an ad in the local classifieds asking for Jaguar items. One guy wrote to me to say he has a working console with two controllers and five cart-only games:

Cybermorth, Raiden, Tempest 2K, Iron Soldier, and Super Burnout. Commons, but five of the better games.

No boxes or manuals.

 

I asked him what he wants and he answered with what do you think it's worth? Grrr.

 

From looking at completed listings on eBay, I would say the console with hookups and a common like Cybermorph sells $60 to $80. The games are better ones, but common, so say $20 a pop.

I would guess that on eBay you might get $150 if you parted it out, or $120 for the bundle.

[famicommander]

I'd avoid eBay and just watch your local game stores, thrift stores, craigstlist, and of course the Atariage market. I've seen Jaguars go for between 50-80 dollars pretty consistently this year. Screw emulation, you get what you pay for. Even common platforms like SNES and Genesis still don't have perfect emulation, decades after their release. I don't think we'll EVER get to their current level of playability for Jag and JagCD emulation, let alone a perfect state.

[NinSEGA]

Whelp, since I finally decided on looking for Atari Jaguar titles outside of the Songbird releases, the price jumps for some of them that I've seen on eBay are really starting to hit home.

 

Should Atari Karts really be ~150 bucks when Jaguar Sector's price guide says it should be around $40? What the hell happened? Did somebody find something inside Atari Karts that is resulting in people destroying them ala Gyromite for NES?

[ls650]

That guide has not been updated for several years.

It's completely out of whack with current eBay going prices.

 

A better guide is to look at "completed listings" on eBay to see what prices people are willing to pay. Jag prices have soared in the last few years.

 

Yeah it sucks but you just have to keep your eyes open for bargains.

[+save2600]

What's this about gold found inside Gyromite?

[NinSEGA]

What's this about gold found inside Gyromite?

Japanese Famicom to NES converters are in the majority of Gyromites out there in the wild. Because of that, people have been gutting them just for the adapters. Now they are becoming harder and harder to find (and more expensive). Luckily, I got one for 10 bucks from someone who knew it had a converter inside.