Availability of 2nd hand 130XEs in UK?

[Steve Mynott]

I've been watching Ebay UK for a bit for 2nd hand 130XEs and I've been a bit surprised about how few there are available.

 

I'm sure there were quite a few in shops back in the 80s (unlike the XEGS which I think I saw once) yet I rarely see them on sale whereas there are quite a few 800XLs.

 

I wonder if the XE sales figures were lower?

 

 

[brenski]

well this thread

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/183619-total-number-of-a8-units-sold-worldwide/

cites a total 8-bit range UK sale of 350,000.

 

total worldwide sales of the 800XL = 500,000

http://www.atarimania.com/faq-atari-400-800-xl-xe-what-is-the-history-of-atari_92.html

 

also there's this available as across the range worldwide sales:

http://scacom.bplaced.net/Collection/atarien.php

Unfortunately, there is very little information about the sales of Atari products:

nmodel.........worldwide:..........UK estimates

VCS 2600: = 25,000,000

VCS 5200: = 1,000,000

VCS 7800: = not known

Lynx: = not known

Jaguar: = 225,000

400/800: = 800,000*...........100,000

1200 XL: = 105,000............NIL

800 XL: = 500,000............200,000

65/130xe: = 250,000.............50,000

ST: = 1,000,000

Falcon030: = 14,000

ST Book: = 1,000* **

* = Estimates, precise numbers not known

** = one of the rarest Laptops

 

so on the basis of UK total sales being 21% of total 8-bit worldwide sales (XL/XE slightly more as 400/800 and 1200XL scarce in UK) the third column are (my) best estimates

Edited March 28, 2016 by brenski

[flashjazzcat]

They do seem thin on the ground now, but I feel their perceived value has increased. I haven't bought one on eBay since I scored a NIB unit which met a mysterious and disastrous fate the instant I paid for it (the seller later admitted the story was a lie).