Something's up....

[StanJr]

I was out thrifting like mad today (coming up empty) and I noticed something rather odd at one of my regular stops. They usually sell all of their atari games for .85-$2, however today ALL of their atari games (I'm talking Street Racer, no label) were $3.43????? What's the deal? They always sell their stuff fast, and usually have something (even if its Sears Combat) every time I stop in, but NEVER have I seen prices jump like this...

 

Something is up, anybody else notice thrift prices fluctuate like this?

 

Stunned Stan

[Lemmi]

Well X-mas is coming up or like i said they saw the Antiques Road Show some where and jacked the price up

 

OR there punishing you even more

[Ze_ro]

The guy at my local flea market used to sell Atari games for $1 or $2 each... now that I've been buying them, they're all $3 each Luckily for him, it's still cheaper than eBay....

 

--Zero

[beattheindierock]

The local newspaper here did a HUGE piece on Atari (like 2-3 pages) recently. The article was centered around the "landfill" episodes. It also went into great detail about the "rarity" of Atari games and their collecting potential. So in my area, anyways, everyone thinks their Combat's and Pac-man's are worth their weight in platinum. I work in pest control and recently I have been having conversations with some of my customers regarding vintage video games. I try and get the word out that I am looking to buy for my personal collection. A few customers had mentioned they read the article in the newspaper and have since withheld putting their Atari systems and games out for "garage sale". I found that to be slightly disheartening. I mean it is nice that there has been a bit more attention paid to Atari but it has prompted many people to put their games and such away in an attic to collect dust for many years. So this may be the reason Atari game prices are jumping up over 100% at thrift stores, etc. in my area at least. But I am sure there are many other underlying factors involved varying from area to area.

[Tempest]

I use to like this hobby when it was just the "Hard Core" collectors and other people who either had an Atari as a kid or wished they did. Now it's filled with people who are trying to make a quick buck or think that if it's old it's valuble. AARRRGGHH!

 

Tempest

[Atari-Jess]

and what sucks is, its only gonna get worse. More Atari articles, more classic gaming collectors, more greedy "wallstreet fat cats" trying to make a quick "$3.43" this is a good time for Atari but a bad time for collectors.

[StanJr]

There is hope. Collecting for Atari is REALLY hard and takes a lot of time and patience to pay off. Somebody looking to make an easy greenback isn't going to get up every Saturday and hit all of the local thrifts only to come up empty six weeks in a row. After a couple of weeks they will find an easier profiteering scheme and leave us alone.

 

To me, all Atari games are only worth the amount of fun I will get out of playing them (partially why I won't usually spend much more than $10 for a single game). If I happen across a super-rare game I don't really care about, I'm not going to use it as leverage in a big trade or put it up on e-bay for millions of dollars. That's abusing a hobby that brings me too much joy.

[atari70s]

last 3 months all combat pacman and asteroid games your choice 7.50 plus 25% off so what is that $5.62 a piece your choice

[Ze_ro]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Atari-Jess:

this is a good time for Atari but a bad time for collectors.

---

 

Actually, I'd say this is a transition period... as you said, it's only going to get worse, so get what you can before it goes up much farther! I think the glory days of collecting are over... things are a little oversaturated now, and too many people are into it.

 

I have to admit that I've only become interested in this hobby in the last year or so, so I'm probably part of the problem... but I'm not into this for the quick buck, and I didn't start because of the fad. I imagine things were better 2 or 3 years back, as Tempest says.

 

--Zero

[ubersaurus]

I've been into it since i was 4! haahaa!