Now I'm part of the problem

[joelm]

I've been looking for a boxed E.T. for a while, long before the landfill story bubbled back to the surface. Prior to the E.T. craze I could never seem to find one with a box, at a reasonable price, when I was in the buying mode, after the rush I couldn't find one for a reasonable price at all. Well, I just forked out over $40 for a NIB example still sealed, which wasn't what I was looking for (as I prefer to play my games) but it was half the cost of the other examples I could find that didn't have crushed boxes. I feel dirty for participating in the sharp price increase of what it, in my opinion, just an okay game with a complex history; these days you are paying more for the story than for the actual game. Oh well, soon I'll have one in my collection and I can rest a little more easily... hopefully I can fight off the urge to open it.

[Jinks]

Wow!! 40 for a common??? Coulda bought a r8 loose. I guess the hype and coolness of the time I keep forgetting.. Hype it up.

[joelm]

It isn't like I'm proud of myself. I actually collect a lot of varied things and I generally only like paying very little for what I buy but, as is the case with everything, the market drives prices and sometimes those prices reflect something more than the actual value if the item... Although I do believe that Atari games were right around $40-$50 at retail if their prices are adjusted for inflation, so given the current market, it just means E.T. didnt depreciate.

 

I now have a boxed E.T. to go with my boxed Raiders Of The Lost Ark and I suppose I am going to feel the need to pick up a boxed copy of Yars Revenge as well.

[Torr]

these days you are paying more for the story than for the actual game.

 

Not just 'these days', this is true regarding just about any antique. Having a good story/being a part of history can/will increase the value of ANYTHING.

 

I now have a boxed E.T. to go with my boxed Raiders Of The Lost Ark and I suppose I am going to feel the need to pick up a boxed copy of Yars Revenge as well.

 

It has begun.

[joelm]

It ended as soon as it began. I just picked up a sealed Yars Revenge and now I own the complete Warshaw collection... Now I need to fight the urge to collect another programmer.

[WolfAmongWolves]

Patience is key to collecting, otherwise you'll find yourself overspending. If you are just beginning to collect and need a lot of commons, my advice is not to set your heart on one specific game that you have to have asap. There are always relatively common games that for one reason or another are suddenly hard to come by and overpriced for a certain time. My experience has been that if you wait a few weeks (or sometimes months), those games will suddenly be available again at reasonable prices. Make a list of several games you are interested in, and then see if you can get any of them at a reasonable price. Buy only the reasonably priced ones, and check again a month or so later. Chances are you'll find a better deal on some of the remaining games on your list.

[+save2600]

Admission is the first step to recovery JoelM!

[Keatah]

Not just 'these days', this is true regarding just about any antique. Having a good story/being a part of history can/will increase the value of ANYTHING.

 

You really think so? Because I wrote tons of stories (all true) about some of my favorite peripherals for classic computers (especially Apple II). My stuff has gotta be worth millions now!

[JacobZu7zu7]

It ended as soon as it began. I just picked up a sealed Yars Revenge and now I own the complete Warshaw collection... Now I need to fight the urge to collect another programmer.

 

Fun, three good CIB games to own by talented Warshaw. I enjoyed all those, but still have to give Raiders some more attention, its the two controller thing for me. :\

 

Don't worry about spending money, because a lot of $$$$ or a little $ will always go regardless, unless you're saving

 

PS

When saving never splurge people!

[Andromeda Stardust]

I think ET will forever have a price hike due to the publicity it got. Probably a sizable chunk of ET collectors don't even own a working Atari system. Never fret though, far less common games people have never heard of still go for cheap!

Edited March 18, 2015 by stardust4ever

[joelm]

I agree. I'm one of those people who has about a dozen collections going at any one time ranging from Eastern Bloc SKS carbine ammo pouches, to vintage N scale model train stuff, to things like Atari games (although I am still pretty new to buying boxed games). With just about every category of collection, even though something might seem like it should be a dud, if there is any broad interest in the item then the prices tend to rise to levels which seem very much out of line. In the case of E.T. I had been watching for a boxed copy for a while and things just never fell into place, prices were still a lot higher than I thought the game was worth, given how many always seemed to be available, but there is a lot of cross-genre interest in it from several directions. I feel I paid more than the game E.T. is worth, but I chose to justify that higher price by paying what the seller wanted (thereby becoming part of the market problem). I really do feel that the landfill dig had a permanent affect on E.T., even pretty heavily damaged examples are selling for far more than other titles in similar condition. People just want to be part of the times and I can only guess that some of those damaged E.T.'s will later be resold by dirty dealers as "from the dig".