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Is any of this collectible?


Game Rogue

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Long time lurker - first time poster...

 

I know some of the stuff I'm going to list is on the rare side - other stuff I have no idea. So I dug out my 2600 collection to see if you guy think this stuff is of value or not.

 

Skateboardin' (proto)

Solar Fox (tagged as review copy)

Crazy Climber (loaner cartridge)

Midnight Magic (red label)

Off Your Rocker (proto)

Squoosh (proto)

Frankenstein's Monster (proto)

Private Eye (proto)

Ms. Pac Man (loaner cartridge)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (nice red/black label)

Robot Tank (proto)

Beamrider (proto)

Krull (loaner cartridge)

Pitfall II Lost Caverns (proto)

Encounter At L-5 (tagged sample)

Pigs in Space (loaner cartridge)

Galaxian (loaner cartridge)

Boxing (Dark Blue label w/ white text)

 

I have 4 other protos that have no labels - but I'm sure one is Mickey Mouse Sorceres Apprentis.

 

Other carts of interest...

Fantastic Voyage

Sammy Lightfoot

Front Line

Word Zapper

Star Fox

Sword Quest: Fire World

Final Approach

MASH

Commando Raid

Porky's

Bermuda Triangle

MAD

 

Thanks for any information.

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Yeah...to sum it up nicely...the whole lot is "Collectable".

 

All of it much more than the stuff you list at the end...

 

Man I sure would like to have a spare million laying around and have the contacts these guys used to and still have. Imagine!

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Lets just say I used you work for and with respected journalists.

 

BTW: I know this is stuff somewhat valuable - but never went to the extent of pricing them out. I was hoping this site could provide some incite.

 

Thanks in advance for your trouble.

Edited by Game Rogue
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Just one other thing... are protos and loaner carts the same thing?

 

I listed several Activision games as protos, since the carts have one big dark red label with a white mailing tag that has typed info on what the cart is.

 

Are those considered a protos?

 

I just wanted to clear that up.

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Wow

 

If it's for real thats pretty impressive. Of course every few weeks someone signs up and lets the board know what outstanding find they have... It's easy watch....

 

Hey guess what I found today in an empty septic tank in my local land fill.... Nope... Nope.... Give up??? A Magicard. Yep and a case of Quadruns. What are these worth anyways?

 

Not that I'm saying it's not possible. That collection sounds rad. Any chance you could post a pic or two???? That would shut the sceptics up!!

 

Well me anyways.

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Closer inspection of carts reveals...

 

Solar Fox (tagged as review copy):Here is your review copy of SOLAR FOX. Please return to me at Schwartz Public Relations Associates, Inc 183 Madison Avenue, NY,NY 10016 By May 20th. I will send you a production sample for your library. Marilyn Wolprai(sp?)

 

Midnight Magic (red label) Looks to be retail

 

Off Your Rocker (proto) Paper label with hand written title.

 

Private Eye (proto) AG-034 (just a white sticker w/name on front)

 

Ms. Pac Man (loaner cartridge) EPROM Cartridge PAL

 

Robot Tank (proto) AZ-028

 

Beamrider (proto) AZ-037

 

Pitfall II Lost Caverns (proto) AB-035

 

Boxing (Dark Blue label w/ white text) Looks to be normal retail but I never saw a Blue label one before this cart.

 

[ 06-01-2002: Message edited by: Game Rogue ]

Edited by Game Rogue
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Wow not bad what you have. For me Loaner and Prototypes are the same. Here my Prototype site.

My Prototypes

 

The Atari and Activision Prototypes are all 100% Protos, but the others I don't know. The 2 at the bottom are no real Protos. One is a copy from Hozer, and Bugs Bunny is a new release.

 

 

[ 06-01-2002: Message edited by: MattyXB ]

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Something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay you for it. For example, if something has a perceived value of $50 but people are only willing to pay you $20 maximum, then the new value should be $20.

 

That being said, I think someone once sent me a sort of rough translation to how the rarity of a cartridge translates into a price. Here is the rough guide:

 

Here's a rough rarity-to-price table. It's nothing scientific, just a mental guideline I use whenever I grope around eBay auctions for deals on loose 2600 cartridges

.

Market conditions do change over time and with the moods of the collecting community at large. I therefore find the need to adjust my "mental guideline" fairly regularly, otherwise my concept of Value gets pretty out of whack with reality. Don't expect this or any other "Guide" to be accurate for more than, say, 3 or 4 months tops.

 

Rarity___Value

1 . . . . . $1

2 . . . . . $1.50

3 . . . . . $3

4 . . . . . $7

5 . . . . . $12

6 . . . . . $24

7 . . . . . $45

8 . . . . . $75

9 . . . . . $110

10. . . . . $150 - $TheSky

 

Always keep in mind that rarity is not the sole factor in determining the value of an Atari 2600 cartridge, nor is rarity assignment by any means an absolute science. Other key considerations include:

 

* Demand - Games which are more desireable to collectors will command a greater price.

 

* Condition - Even extremely rare games have little value if the label is missing or if the cartridge case has chunks of plasic missing.

 

* Completeness - A game with the manual, in some cases, can double the price. Complete in the box can sometimes mean a tripling in value or more.

 

* Format - In many cases an NTSC format game will be much more rare than its PAL counterpart, and therefor command a higher price.

 

* Recent Auctions - A rash of auctions for a given title could mean that a new warehouse discovery has been made. By-the-book rarity of such an item will need to be adjusted, as should the price you should pay for it.

I hope that helps. At least for awhile.

Ben

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The condtion of of my prototypes 2600 carts are the same as MattyXB protos.

 

Then I have a proto like Squoosh that has a file folder label of the name of the game typed on it - and that is it.

 

Or ..Encounter At L-5 That seems to have a generic white Data Age cart label "stamped" sample.

 

Again... Off Your Rocker is just a hand made like label with it's name.

 

Frankenstein's Monster - Stuck on generic mailing label with typed title by Data Age.

 

Skatebaordin' - generic file folder label with game name by Absolute 1987.

 

...is this kind of labeling technique common for 2600 proto carts. I mean, anyone could take a blank 2600 cart and stick a mailing label with game info on it.

 

Also, what of protos with no indication of what they are (blank 2600 carts) - I have 4 of them - I'm gonna hook up my 2600 find what they are - but do they lessen the value?

 

Oh... and one last thing I own a Kung Fu Master <-Sealed NIB) and Commando <-NIB) from Activision for the 2600. Rare or not?

 

I also have a box full XE & 400/800 games. Games like...

 

Driods (proto?)

Gatway to Apshai

Summarine Commander

Alpha Shield

Computer War (proto)

Miner 2049er

Oil's Well

Past Finder (proto)

Basic Computer Language

K-razy Kritters

Orc Attack

Boulders and Bombs

Soccer

Major League Hockey

 

I have a bunch more - but those are the ones of interest. Is there a market for them?

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quote:

Originally posted by AtariDude:

Rarity___Value

1 . . . . . $1

2 . . . . . $1.50

3 . . . . . $3

4 . . . . . $7

5 . . . . . $12

6 . . . . . $24

7 . . . . . $45

8 . . . . . $75

9 . . . . . $110

10. . . . . $150 - $TheSky

 

Ben

 

Many thanks Ben That is the only list I have ever seen where the rariety has a price, no matter how far it is off due to various circumstances as you listed.

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quote:

Originally posted by Game Rogue:

Just one other thing... are protos and loaner carts the same thing?

 

I listed several Activision games as protos, since the carts have one big dark red label with a white mailing tag that has typed info on what the cart is.

 

Are those considered a protos?

 

I just wanted to clear that up.

 

Well... it all depends, you see most Lab Loaners are usually close to or finished version of the games. Proto's are more earlier versions of the games and not the same as the final finished versions, however because they are in label loaner labelled cases are are using eprom pcb's they are rarer then the final versions and their value is still higher. However if you had to rate value, versions of the games which are earlier and have markably noticable differences then the production versions are the rarest and most sought after and value. My friend and fellow AHS member Matt Reichert (who goes by Tempest) has become quite a proto afficiando and is making an extensive research site on proto's, lab loaners and production carts. An important factor to look at are the checksums of the eproms to see if there are subtle differences in the code vs. the final production units.

 

 

Curt

 

 

The Atari History Museum

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