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Interest Check: Atari 1200XL Collection (and more?)


Timothy Kline

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Good morning, everyone,

 

As some of you may already know, I started adopting 1200XLs a couple years ago as part of the return to my Atari hobby. In the process, I managed to adopt 57 units, several with their original boxes (and some with their packaging styrofoam).

 

However, two weeks ago I lost my job of ten years, and everything has changed; now, I'm forced to end a big part of my hobby to cover my wife's medical expenses of the past year (total knee replacement, medications) and our basic living expenses for the immediate future until I can sort out employment.

 

My lost job could be someone's gain.

 

Having invested around $10,000 in 1200XLs alone, I am now going to be rehoming them to either an individual or group of individuals willing to pay $7000 for 50 of them. This will include any and all original boxes and/or packaging, and power supplies, of course. Also included: 1200XL-related manuals, guides, and promotional materials.

 

This averages the cost per system to $140— and considering the current selling price on EBay, it seems like a very reasonable deal.

 

A hefty lump sum, I agree, which is why I'm posting this strictly as an interest check before I go forward with making an official post that includes photos and itemized listing.

 

Given my present financial situation, I cannot really break up the 50 systems into individual sales, sorry. Frankly, we need the cash. :(

 

This is a fantastic opportunity, regardless. Seven people, for example, pooling their funds to secure the entire lot and then reselling them would spread the cost out. Ten people coming together, even more so. And twenty-five individuals working collectively drops the per-person investment to under $300 per person for 2 1200XLs each.

 

Again, this is NOT for only 50 1200XL systems: I have a sizable collection of original literature and original packaging/materials that will be included, bolstering the overall value of this package offer.

 

If the interest isn't present, I'll reluctantly need to turn to EBay to rehome the lot, furthering my losses, of course— but I would prefer to see these go to those who take their Atari hobby as seriously as I do.

 

Pickup would need to be local for the obvious logistical reasons— but also affords the opportunity to, in person, appreciate this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for what it is.

 

NOTE: I'm currently in the process of inventorying/re-verifying the rest of the Atari hardware I've adopted these last few years, and would be open to include a significant majority of it for an additional $2000. This would include Atari 800s, 800XLs, 130XEs, XEGS systems with keyboards, 1050 drives, Indus drives, at least one Trak drive, Rana drives, 850s, and so on.

 

My hobby inventory can be viewed at any time by visiting the link below, but keep in mind that I am still getting the listings finalized (I'll be keeping a few things, and software/books will NOT be a part of the overall rehoming effort).

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BxNhdFR69ypdnINzIh4QK4v4JrjPLsGVvGxOEEvUMH8/edit?usp=sharing

 

Finally, I understand that some may want to make an offer on the entire lot. Contact me by PM, and we can discuss it if your offer seems reasonable, especially if your intentions will benefit the Atari community. But, please! no lowballing or trying to profit from the sudden dire straits my wife and I have found ourselves traversing. I will do everything I can to make sure that the buyer(s) are satisfied that this was a one-of-a-kind effort to help us while taking on an entire collection for the Atari community.

 

Submitted for your perusal and consideration,

Timothy Kline

 

Below is a sneak peek inside my Atari 1200XL vault.

 

1200XL%20Vault%20--%201280px.jpg

 

 

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Amazing that you found 57 1200XL's in 2 years. Were these all local or bought online? It's an incredible collection. I can't be a part of it as I've been downsizing my collection myself. It's too bad, I'm not too far away, being in Ontario. Good luck with your sale.

 

Nearly all were adopted from EBay, actually. A few from Goodwill. One from Steve Tucker (I'll be keeping that one).

 

It's been an endeavor of love, for sure. Who else would ever be crazy enough to spend 10K on 1200XLs (not counting the shipping costs!) except a crazy Atarian? I had pretty big plans for them, but that's all it will ever amount to now. The rest of the Atari hardware was going to keep me busy with the hobby for pretty much the rest of my life, as I looked eagerly forward to retiring in 8 more years.

 

Such is life. Everything can change in an instant.

 

--Tim

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So that's where they all went and why the price was driven up so high over the past years! Good luck with it... Sorry for your troubles. It's going to be really hard to find someone to take this on.

Edited by R.Cade
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So that's where they all went and why the price was driven up so high over the past years! Good luck with it... Sorry for your troubles. It's going to be really hard to find someone to take this on.

 

Correction: It's going to be really hard to find someone else to take this on.

 

If one person (me) can do something like this, then a group of Atarians should be able to, as well— which is why I'm just as interested in working with the Atari community to rehome to them first as I am in trying to figure out how to make ends meet, financially.

 

In all reasonableness, what I'm disinclined to do, though, is give hardware away for a fraction of what has been invested, because that means that the value of the systems just isn't there anymore in the Atari community. I imagine there will be those who feel that asking for an average of $140 for a 1200XL is too much, just like I feel selling one in the neighborhood of $200 and up is too much— yet those auctions continue to find buyers.

 

If the interest simply isn't there in a way that benefits me and the buyer(s) both, that's okay, too, because at least I tried and I'll know. I can't speak to the current prices on EBay except that they seem to remain consistently above what they were during the time that I was adopting them for an undisclosed project I had been working towards with a couple fellow Atarians.

 

I'm open to discussion about options because I care, and invite them from those interested. But if selling the systems individually becomes the solution, I'll have little choice except to EBay them off with the cost of fees, packing materials, and time factored in. That would cost more for the buyer, who also has to shoulder the cost of shipping costs atop that.

 

Thus, the interest check first: to determine if, through a group effort, something can be achieved here and keep the hardware "in the family," so to speak. If not, that's okay too.

 

--Tim

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Are you willing to ship these, or do you require that they be picked up in person?

 

Have they been / will they be / tested?

 

Bob

 

Hi there, Bob,

 

You're the legend that inspired me to start working toward the aforementioned project I had been working towards up until things went sideways. <3

 

Assume the mylar, of course. I'd started replacing them with the BEST Electronics mylar, but that got real costly real fast so I reverted to cleaning up the existing mylars.

 

I'm still in the process of inventorying everything at this point, but if it looks like this part of things can be done, I'll switch to photographing every unit in the 50 and notate any additional problems such as LEDs. Somewhere, I have most of this already written down but it would be good to go through them once more to commit to the spreadsheet that's open to the public. I just finished the Indus GTs's photos and am starting the Rana drives now.

 

I cannot even imagine what would be involved in shipping these, given my current situation; and given the scale of this it would probably be prudent for someone involved on the Atari community's side to facilitate things. I certainly never anticipated rehoming the systems en masse. More like, oh, I puttered around with a system, and someone was looking for one, and then help them adopt one. It was never about the money, and it really isn't even now-- but I also have to be practical, too, with the change in our circumstances. Sigh.

 

I'll drop you a PM.

 

--Tim

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Tim,

Very sorry to hear about your current situation. Hopefully, it will change direction soon. Have you considered offering them individually to AA members for sale? I would think at $120 to $200 (depending on condition) with buyer paying for shipping, you might get rid of a third of them and then the lot sale is not so ominous. You would have to have the packing material though and the time involved would be diverting from other priorities. I too share an affinity for the 1200XL, but fully understand the need to make such a decision. I do not need any additional 1200XLs, but I'm sure there are those in the AA community that might now decide they need to adopt one or two.

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I'm sorry to hear of your situations. :( Having been there myself I know it's tough. My wife and I are just now getting our heads up above the water line so to speak with our medical bills. And, having your employment taken away is no fun either. I always felt like I was being punished for something and couldn't figure out what for. Some days I'd feel angry. Other days I'd feel sad. A few days I felt pretty happy. It was a emotional roller coaster.

 

I'd love to pitch in and help by purchasing a 1200XL but I can't do the 50-lot deal. One unit? Yes, totally! If you include original packaging, power supplies, support materials, etc then count me in. A sizable number of these will easily sell on the forum to individuals. Maybe you could offer individual 1200XL units to forum members and then make a Dutch Auction on eBay for the rest of them? Knowing eBay and PayPal collect fees maybe you could raise the average price to $175 and accept Best Offers between $150 and $175?

 

Oh, and maybe you could cross post to the Atari-Forum and VCF to get more publicity?

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I am surprised a gofundme or similar hasn't been made to help one of our guys out of this, This could be all that is needed to help him make it through the toughest parts and the whole real life trial that goes with it. Can one of our better angels who has experience in the best way of doing so help make something along those lines happen?

Edited by _The Doctor__
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That's a great idea! I would pitch in to that. Tim brings a great amount to the community table, and there are angels everywhere that could see that a donation here or there to help keep these folks afloat until things turn so that we can keep all his atari work in the community.

 

Good luck Tim.

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That's a great idea! I would pitch in to that. Tim brings a great amount to the community table, and there are angels everywhere that could see that a donation here or there to help keep these folks afloat until things turn so that we can keep all his atari work in the community.

Good luck Tim.

Agreed! That is an excellent idea! I’d pitch in.

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I know you dont want to do one offs, but maybe a suggestion. Offer 1 off's for $200. For each one you sell reduce the $7k price by $140. Maybe you sell enough 1 off's to get the price down to something someone would throw down, like $3K.

 

You'd get more money and wouldnt impact you $140 per unit pricing.

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You should definitely highly consider selling them individually as I think you will be able to get them all easily sold. And even get more than selling all in one big lot. I know it’s kind of a pain having to ship them but as long as you find a good box for packing them and shipping them, it should be fairly easy to do. I know it’s funner receiving a package and opening it, than packing something up and shipping. ;)

Edited by tjlazer
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Tim

 

you could do it in the same way that some of the interest checks are started for new products.

 

■ start with an interest check for 20--25 (on the basis that NONE are sold until take-up is complete)

(standard unboxed at one price, boxed/upgraded at another)

■ maintain an up-to-date list here

■ once you have 25 committed, then send PMs advising people that money is now due.

■ if over-subscribed, PM 26+> advising that there may me more available

■ ship once paid

 

i think you'd probably clear 30-40 in this manner and possibly clear the amount you needed.

Edited by Guest
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