DeAthWaGer Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hello atariage! I recently helped to clean out a storage unit, among lots of other gaming goodies... well, here's the email I sent to CGA/AFA Customer Service: I stumbled upon 12+ cases (6 copies each) of Star Raiders with controllers for Atari 2600.7 of these cases are still sealed, 3 of the cases the seal is broken and were opened but unlikely even touched, and an additional 14 copies are NIB but have price tags and are in a different box (not in the original shipping box).All of the cases have numbers on them on the 2 wide sides written with marker, numbered between 715 and 725. I'm not sure if these markings are from the factory, perhaps the distributor to Odd Lot (which is on the price tag, 2 for $1).The cardboard on these cases is still in very good shape, just minor dust on some and no mold or water damage or dents.The shipping label/seals on these boxes are in good to very good shape as well.Should I submit any of these for grading? Let me know if you need more description or photos.I will be reselling these over time and any help would be greatly appreciated.Thank you so much for your time,-Nathan Here's their reply, which I thought was a bit cryptic. I have NO IDEA what I have, because they're saying it's all this stuff: Thank you for following up. Based on the information that you have provided, these items should fall under the following category. Please choose an option based on value and desired processing time. V-C1-A - Archival Tier (items valued up to $25,000; 4-6 business day processing; includes our UV Upgraded case) $80 V-C1-1 - Premium Tier (items valued up to $1000; 7-10 business day processing; includes our standard case) $55 V-C1-2 - Express Tier (items valued up to $400; 15-20 business day processing; includes our standard case) $47 V-C1-3 - Standard Tier (items valued up to $200; 40-45 business day processing; includes our standard case) $40 Note: You may choose to upgrade from our Standard Case to our Archival Case for an additional $25 for this size. Below is a link to our submission form that you can print, complete and include with your items. http://www.cgagrading.com/serviceguide/SubmissionForm_Abridged.pdf I hope that this is helpful. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Best regards, Marci Sooooo, which are which? I'm not sure what to do. Maybe just sell off the open/priced copies on eBay, as well as the open cases, and get the sealed cases graded? Which tier? They only resell from 20-30 IIRC. Any help from you would be awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I'd like two for a dollar please! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariTexas Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 You will seriously be wasting time and money grading them......just put on Ebay and hope for the best 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari181 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 If you can get $5 each you will be lucky. Grade them, maybe you can get $10? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Grading them? That's ridiculous. Good close-up photos will be better and are free. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Grading is a total waste, they have price stickers on them. See if Albert would buy the whole lot, to bundle the controllers with the Synthcart, toss the packaging and recycle the cartridge shells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Somehow I don't like that idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philflound Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 He clearly states some of these are sealed cases, so those should not have price stickers on them at all. I don't suggest grading them. Does anyone here on AA actually collect graded games? I sure don't and wouldn't waste the money. As for $5-10 each, I would think brand new, mint sealed copies should bring at least $25, maybe a little more. Problem is that you just told everyone you have a ton of these, so you won't be able to get much with the collecting world having that knowledge. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I completely agree on the grading vs. no-grading. Once a game is "officially" graded, you have to pay additional for that fee, and no doubt the seller will have to wrap that into the asking price. Again, good photos will speak for themselves and cost nothing additional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philflound Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The only games I would suggest getting graded would be the really really rare items. I'm talking about items that would probably sell for a minimum of $500, but more likely over $1000. As Keatah states, the grading fee is a key factor and when the grading fee costs much more than the game is worth, then you have to make up that money. Usually when it comes to professionally grading items like stamps, coins, and comics, the more valuable items and the rarer items are the ones to be graded. I suggest rarer items just to authenticate them as there are many repro labels/cartridges going around now on the rare stuff. I can't tell you how many graded comic books I see for $10 or less where the fees for those with the shipping would exceed $15. Besides the cost of the comic, there is a loss on the fee. Of course if you submitted a batch and made your money back on the other items, dumping the rest is pure profit, but piece by piece, you would be taking a loss. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Is this in the right forum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Thanks everyone for your input. I was just curious because of the sealed cases mostly, as I've seen sealed cases of NES and Gameboy games at conventions before (Duck Hunt and Mario Land IIRC), but never 2600. Usually they just go by the price of the unit sealed x the number of units per case + a small fraction more.That would be bottom tier grading for something like this, anyhow.I was also wondering if it was different since this is a game that never came in shrink wrap, so I wondered if sealed cases would be worth any more. Nonetheless, I seem to sense the consensus is to not bother with grading... I'll let everyone know when some go up! Sorry if this post wasn't in the right spot, first timer mistake... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Also, thanks CPUWIZ for letting me know about the Synthcart compatibility. I'll definitely be keeping two controllers now and will be picking that up. I have Cynthcart for C64 and paddle controllers, but only now have real 2600 systems again (for the first time in 30 years!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 Hi again! The first sealed case with the lowest number is now up: http://www.ebay.com/sch/member_66688/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= I also have a few other things up, just a lot of 37 commons, Mr. Do!'s Castle, a Journey Escape with double label... The other sealed cases will go up every 6 hours until Monday, then the unsealed cases every 12 hours until Monday 10PM PST. Loose complete copies will go up on a later date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philflound Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Looking at the listings, a couple of things. On the 37 games, what is a red label Asteroids as you mention it has no end label. Did you mean the Air Sea Battle? Double label Journey Escape may be legit, but it's too easy to make by just gluing a second label over the first one. Not sure if you're going to get $80 for the sealed cases. If you were going to put the cases up every 12 hours, you should have just put the fixed price at $80 as I doubt people are going to bid over $80 if they know more are coming. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 Thanks for the inquiry and advice. The telegames one is the one with the yellow text spine label, the red label's is missing. I suppose the Journey could be counterfeited, but it seems like an awful lot of trouble to separate layers perfectly and use the perfect adhesive. I only made the starting bid for the normal price for a working copy, so I really don't care if that's all it goes for. It just seems neat, rarer, and slightly collectable, but not necessarily valuable. If the cases are not bid on as priced, I have no problem trying a lower price to resell them. I have time to edit the prices before they go up Unfortunately, eBay no longer does quantity auctions, only "buy it now", so I figured I'd start with auctions. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 Hello, It's been a while and I've sold a few cases. However, I was just told by a customer that these boxes are missing the comics! I checked a loose copy, and indeed he's correct. Just wondering, was this common? There is no possible way I, or anyone could have "removed" the comics, they were simply never there in the first place. My only guesses are either that these copies might be accidentally made without the comic, the comic ran out of print before they could make a new box design, or were made to ship to a region that did not approve of the comic so it was not included. Does anyone know the answer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximRecoil Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 I bought this dog of a game new in 1985 (when I was 10 years old) at Kmart for 99 cents. I was hoodwinked by the large box and free controller inside, into thinking it would be a good game. I should have bought Berzerk or Yar's Revenge instead, like my older brother suggested (they were all the same price). For what it's worth, I don't remember it having any comic book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philflound Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 If you have the 1986 version, they would not have comics. From your photo, you should have comics since it's advertised on the box. They would be in the smaller box with the cartridge and instruction manual. Is it glue sealed? Can you post a photo of the front and back of the smaller box inside? It's possible if these are glue sealed with the hang tag glued and missing the comic that these were mistake boxes and when Atari found out dumped them at Odd Job, Odd Lot, Job Lot or wherever it was they were dumped. Phil You can see the 1986 box here on my site at the end. http://www.videogamevariations.com/AtariCompanies/AtariGames/StarRaiders/star_raiders_boxes.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted October 16, 2015 Author Share Posted October 16, 2015 Yup, it's the '82 version with the glue flap and comic ad in the corner. None of these boxes were ever opened, I can guarantee it. I'll post pics later for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philflound Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 My assumption is that the company knew there was a problem with the games and that is why they were dumped for so cheap. Quality control probably felt there was no reason to undo everything for just a comic, as long as the game was in working order and could be played. Funny thing is there are many collectors who don't deal with sealed product because you don't know what you are getting inside, or in this case, not getting inside. You assume by purchasing a sealed product, that the company has packaged the correct items inside. This not only goes for video games, but anything. Phil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanwatkins Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I just started perusing these forums, so I'm responding to old posts, but I'm curious to know what you eneded up doing with all of these?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAthWaGer Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 I have sold most of the Star Raiders cases so far. They didn't sell for a lot but hopefully went to good homes and cool synthcart advocates. I have one case left and will leave a post here when it goes up (likely in a week or so). I ended up keeping that double labeled Journey Escape. It was worthless and I am a Journey fan so I figured I'd just keep it (just picked up Escape on vinyl for $2, didn't have that album for almost 20 years haha). On a side note, if you enjoy chiptunes check out my band's MSX chiptune remix album for free here: https://yukiyukiyasumi.bandcamp.com/album/devoured-by-8-bit-schoolgirls Thanks a lot, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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