The future of retro collecting....

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Comments

  • Originally posted by: maximus_clean
    the sellers eventually find an end user. what's the problem there?

    The number of end users isn't unlimited. It's not really a problem, I suppose.
  • Originally posted by: pats1717

    Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    It doesn't get tricky at all. If everybody who really cares about that stuff already has it, then there is no demand and no way to recapture your "investment".


    Agreed, but the good news is I only have $500 and time invested in this hobby for around 1200 games. Buying in lots and re selling the extras after that initial investment. So the time I wouldn't get back anyway (of course it could have been used for working or what not) Maybe I will cash out the $500 this month image

    I know that's a popular way to think about it, but you would see a different picture if you considered all of the reinvested money from reselling as actual cash out of your pocket (because you could have just as easily kept the proceeds that went into the collection).

  • Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    Originally posted by: pats1717

    Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    It doesn't get tricky at all. If everybody who really cares about that stuff already has it, then there is no demand and no way to recapture your "investment".


    Agreed, but the good news is I only have $500 and time invested in this hobby for around 1200 games. Buying in lots and re selling the extras after that initial investment. So the time I wouldn't get back anyway (of course it could have been used for working or what not) Maybe I will cash out the $500 this month image

    I know that's a popular way to think about it, but you would see a different picture if you considered all of the reinvested money from reselling as actual cash out of your pocket (because you could have just as easily kept the proceeds that went into the collection).


    Yeah looking at it that way easily 10 grand...


    edit to add I wouldn't have the same passion for it however, I couldn't do the resell thing permanently fro profit.
  • No doubt. Reselling purely for profit is just like having a second job. I doubt most would be interesting if it wasn't used to build their hobby/collection.



    I don't mean to come off as condescending or overly critical on the issue, either. I just think it's important for everybody to have their eyes open about the real cost of doing things.
  • If the NES values crashed, and all my shit was worth nothing, I would be delighted. I dont see a connection between game values, and game collecting. If games go down in value, it makes it a hell of alot easier for me to collect. Why anyone would collect something just to say "You know... this game is worth $1,000.00.. and I just happen to own it!" is beyond me. Dont most people collect things, because they enjoy the items they are collecting?



    Unfortunatly I think the games will keep going up in value. Over time more and more will be lost to mishandling, and the games will become rarer and rarer. Even if they go down in value, they would still be hard to track down. I dont think anything is gonna happen untill this generation suffers dementia though. I work in an assisted living facility. Some times I imagine what it will be like when I am old. The internet and electronics will probly have evolved beyond my elderly learning curve, and I wont be accessing them. But ill happy in my roomn with my games.
  • Originally posted by: dragonlunch

    Unfortunatly I think the games will keep going up in value. Over time more and more will be lost to mishandling, and the games will become rarer and rarer.


    I disagree with this statement too.  I think that nearly all of the games that would be lost to mishandling have already been lost, or ones that will be mishandled and thrown out are just going to be garbage commons anyway.

    Back in the old days, your family might ask your neighbors or friends if they need something before throwing an item out.  You know like, "Hey I'm throwing this TV in the trash, you want it?" If someone takes it great, otherwise off to the dump it goes.  Then came along the internet and now you can offload your junk to ANYONE IN THE WORLD rather than just your close knit friends.  Just look at all types of stuff that gets listed on eBay or Craigslist.  People would really rather sell a puked on mattress with blood stains on CL... and believe it or not, this stuff actually sells!!

    In an economy like this, people are penny pinching and looking to get any amount of money they can for their old junk.  Not to mention we've had shows like Antique Road Show that tell the public that their junk is actually worth something!

    Just my .02.
  • I don't care about the value, it's not like the games will be any less-awesome in 10 years.
  • When comic books sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars I can't see how videogame WON'T be a big collectable in the future. Comics and sports cards are niche compared to videogames. Boys,girls,kids and adults to grandparents now play them. Finding a child in America who hasn't played a videogame is about as hard as finding a child who hasn't rode a bicycle. Never in the modern age has the childhood "plaything" been as dominated by 1 thing. As they grow up IF they are inclined to collect they may covet what was near and dear to them as children. I can't even think of what would be second place.
  • ^^^ I think you understate how important comic books were to previous generations. And it is a VERY few that are worth anywhere near the amount you mention.



    (and frankly, games are WAY more durable than comic books, so the supply side of the equation is skewed in the comparison).
  • Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    ^^^ I think you understate how important comic books were to previous generations. And it is a VERY few that are worth anywhere near the amount you mention.



    (and frankly, games are WAY more durable than comic books, so the supply side of the equation is skewed in the comparison).


    Not very few...well at least for hundreds of thousands, maybe. However there are MANY many many books that sell for at leas 10-50 thousand any day in about 5.5's to 6. When you're talking about mint books in the 9's, there are going to be so many that go into the 90's and hundred thousands (golden and silver age, that is).

    Edit: I do agree very much on a side note with the fact that video games are much more durable, but for this reason it's harder to find the comics in better condition, also adding to value. Games also are going to be the pastime of kids when they get older, and are all gonna want to get to what their parents through out, just like comic books. So many of the collectors today (including my dad) have some of their old collection, but want to get back to what they had as a kid.
  • How frequently do they sell for that price? It sounds like the value of those is driven by peoples' unwillingness to part with their collection, not necessarily that lots of people are willing to pay that amount.
  • www.comiclink.com

    Just browse around, look for some completed sales...I think you'll be shocked image
  • I'm not surprised that early issues of classic comics go for that amount, but I am surprised they change hands frequently.



    I would imagine that the high end of comic collecting is more akin to art collecting than anything else.
  • ^Usually it seems that the art only pops up when the original artist dies and was hoarding all of it, and nobody gets it unless it's auctioned.

    That's why they go for so much when they do pop up.
  • Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    ^^^ I think you understate how important comic books were to previous generations. And it is a VERY few that are worth anywhere near the amount you mention.

    (and frankly, games are WAY more durable than comic books, so the supply side of the equation is skewed in the comparison).



    Some kids read comics but not all kids. In previous generations most kids stopped reading comics at I dunno 5th-6th grade. Stan Lee would tell people he was writer if asked what he did. If pushed that he wrote children's books. Once the 80's hit and comic were considered a mainstream collectable the user base got bigger till it exploded in th 90s and then imploded soon after. Today you have the 30-40-50 and older male crowd who keep comics alive.

    I just don't think comics were nearly as important to any particular generation as videogames are.today. Back then you had many different things competing for the attention span of children. Depending on the era comics, cards ,cars, action figures, space toys ,wild west etc. Today it seems like you have many different videogames competing for the attention span of children.

  • Originally posted by: superNESman

    ^Usually it seems that the art only pops up when the original artist dies and was hoarding all of it, and nobody gets it unless it's auctioned.
    That's why they go for so much when they do pop up.



    I dunno about that, most artists try to make a living by selling the art while they are alive. You want to know who is hording the fine art read this article.


    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/magazine/01Brothers-t.html?th&emc=th

  • I guess you've never walked through a Toys'R'Us if you're claiming that kids were getting pulled in more directions during our parents' generation. Get real, man.



    Just because WE are all into video games, doesn't mean that EVERYBODY is.
  • Originally posted by: superNESman

    ^Usually it seems that the art only pops up when the original artist dies and was hoarding all of it, and nobody gets it unless it's auctioned.

    That's why they go for so much when they do pop up.


    I'm doubtful that any artist would have an incentive to hoard their own artwork.

    You're probably misinterpreting the fact that art becomes more valuable after the artist dies, and thus, sellers surge into the market place to unload their investments and get the post mortem premium.
  • Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    I guess you've never walked through a Toys'R'Us if you're claiming that kids were getting pulled in more directions during our parents' generation. Get real, man.

    Just because WE are all into video games, doesn't mean that EVERYBODY is.


    Sure I've been in a ToysRUs. I have kids.

    I should ask when was the last time you were at a Toys R US? A large section is seasonal (christmas crap or swimming pools) a large section is for clothes , a large section is for bikes. Then you have a large girls section with dolls etc and a section for board games and even one for DVDS. There is an early childhood section with crayons etc. They also have a section for action figure where you find all the single 30 year old men.  So if you are a male between the ages of say 10 and 25 the ONLY place to be is in the videogame section.

    What exactly in a ToysRus today will fixate a child (beside videogames) to the point where as an adult he skips meals so he can buy one in MINT condition ?

  • Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    Originally posted by: superNESman

    ^Usually it seems that the art only pops up when the original artist dies and was hoarding all of it, and nobody gets it unless it's auctioned.
    That's why they go for so much when they do pop up.


    I'm doubtful that any artist would have an incentive to hoard their own artwork.

    You're probably misinterpreting the fact that art becomes more valuable after the artist dies, and thus, sellers surge into the market place to unload their investments and get the post mortem premium.

    I don't think there is a huge surge of supply but the larger ticket prices bring more press.

  • Originally posted by: buyatari2

    I just don't think comics were nearly as important to any particular generation as videogames are.today. Back then you had many different things competing for the attention span of children. Depending on the era comics, cards ,cars, action figures, space toys ,wild west etc. Today it seems like you have many different videogames competing for the attention span of children.


    I actually think there are more things competing for kids attention these days:  the Internet (myspace, facebook, etc.), cell phones and texting, DVDs (when I was a kid we didn't have access to movies at home), cable and 500 channels, etc.  In fact, I've been surprised at how little interest my kids have in video games. 

  • Originally posted by: kell

    Originally posted by: buyatari2

    I just don't think comics were nearly as important to any particular generation as videogames are.today. Back then you had many different things competing for the attention span of children. Depending on the era comics, cards ,cars, action figures, space toys ,wild west etc. Today it seems like you have many different videogames competing for the attention span of children.


    I actually think there are more things competing for kids attention these days:  the Internet (myspace, facebook, etc.), cell phones and texting, DVDs (when I was a kid we didn't have access to movies at home), cable and 500 channels, etc.  In fact, I've been surprised at how little interest my kids have in video games. 


    Opposite in my neck of the woods. My nephew, niece and all there friends spend WAY more time playing and enjoy video games as opposed to the internet/facebook/cell phones. When I do catch them in the internet, they are playing games on the internet!

    I honestly don't know any kids that watch a tonne of TV other than Saturday morning cartoons, or certain teeny shows after school. Its either sports or video games.

  • Originally posted by: maximus_clean

    Opposite in my neck of the woods. My nephew, niece and all there friends spend WAY more time playing and enjoy video games as opposed to the internet/facebook/cell phones. When I do catch them in the internet, they are playing games on the internet!

    I honestly don't know any kids that watch a tonne of TV other than Saturday morning cartoons, or certain teeny shows after school. Its either sports or video games.


    Then how does Hannah Montana have a career? image

  • Originally posted by: kell

    Originally posted by: maximus_clean

    Opposite in my neck of the woods. My nephew, niece and all there friends spend WAY more time playing and enjoy video games as opposed to the internet/facebook/cell phones. When I do catch them in the internet, they are playing games on the internet!

    I honestly don't know any kids that watch a tonne of TV other than Saturday morning cartoons, or certain teeny shows after school. Its either sports or video games.


    Then how does Hannah Montana have a career? image


    Hannah Montana ain't shit in my neighbourhood. LOL. Mario has her ass kicked.

  • Originally posted by: buyatari2

    Originally posted by: arch_8ngel

    I guess you've never walked through a Toys'R'Us if you're claiming that kids were getting pulled in more directions during our parents' generation. Get real, man.

    Just because WE are all into video games, doesn't mean that EVERYBODY is.


    Sure I've been in a ToysRUs. I have kids.

    I should ask when was the last time you were at a Toys R US? A large section is seasonal (christmas crap or swimming pools) a large section is for clothes , a large section is for bikes. Then you have a large girls section with dolls etc and a section for board games and even one for DVDS. There is an early childhood section with crayons etc. They also have a section for action figure where you find all the single 30 year old men.  So if you are a male between the ages of say 10 and 25 the ONLY place to be is in the videogame section.

    What exactly in a ToysRus today will fixate a child (beside videogames) to the point where as an adult he skips meals so he can buy one in MINT condition ?


    Last time I checked, plenty of kids still played with action figures, LEGOs, K'Nex, and toy cars.

  • Arch you have to admit. These days there is a video game system in nearly every household with a child, and most households with people under 45. The first 20 years of video games.. they were just another toy.. Some people had em, some people didnt. Gaming has moved way beyond a toy. Its has become a home appliance.


    Originally posted by: kell


    I
    actually think there are more things competing for kids attention these
    days:  the Internet (myspace, facebook, etc.), cell phones and texting,
    DVDs (when I was a kid we didn't have access to movies at home), cable
    and 500 channels, etc.  In fact, I've been surprised at how little
    interest my kids have in video games. 



    All those things have just expanded video games even more. Seems like everyone on myspace is a member of one of those myspace xanga games. Every cell phone you buy these days come with video games, some are even built as a gaming console first. Since VHS video gaming shows and movies have flooded the home. Cable has brought tv shows based on gaming, and even an entire video game channel. There never was a comic book channel, or a baseball card channel.

    I think some of you guys are underestimating how mainstream, and a part of everyday life video games are. Seems like every college in my area is advertising for video game design.. even the small community colleges in my area. THey have like a selection of 10 courses, most of which are child care, or nursing.. then theres video game programmer, or graphic design.

    Toys will always be around, and kids will always have some kinds of toys. The thing is, diffrent kids likke diffrent toys, but all kids like video games.


    Originally posted by: jonebone


    I
    disagree with this statement too.  I think that nearly all of the games
    that would be lost to mishandling have already been lost, or ones that
    will be mishandled and thrown out are just going to be garbage commons
    anyway.

    Back in the old days, your family might ask your
    neighbors or friends if they need something before throwing an item
    out.  You know like, "Hey I'm throwing this TV in the trash, you want
    it?" If someone takes it great, otherwise off to the dump it goes. 
    Then came along the internet and now you can offload your junk to
    ANYONE IN THE WORLD rather than just your close knit friends.  Just
    look at all types of stuff that gets listed on eBay or Craigslist. 
    People would really rather sell a puked on mattress with blood stains
    on CL... and believe it or not, this stuff actually sells!!

    In
    an economy like this, people are penny pinching and looking to get any
    amount of money they can for their old junk.  Not to mention we've had
    shows like Antique Road Show that tell the public that their junk is
    actually worth something!

    Just my .02.


    I dont know man, im always hearing horror stories, how great games got thrown away. But even the commons count. The price of commons has gone way up in the last few years. You got 600 commons worth about $3 each. thats alot of mulla compared to when you could grab them for .25 all over locally. Heck last year at my local flea market, all common games were $3. This year all commons are $7 and up. They more then doubled in price.. That guy has been there for years selling.

    Alot of people still throw things out, and dont use the internet to sell things. If something is worthless enough for someone to throw out, they dont think its worth their time to find a buyer online. Your assuming everyone thinks valuable games are worth money. The average dude with a Caltron in his atic doesnt think "OOOO! a goldmine!" They think "Hmm an old fake nintendo game.. is it really worth posting online for a measly $2 profit? in the trash you go!"
  • ^ A flea market seller I know gets a lot of games from the dump for free.



    And even the people that do sell it online half are too low and the other half are too high.



    Plenty of people still toss this stuff
  • I think you guys are totally missing the point on the condition issue when you say games are more durable. When's the last time you found a dead mint box that wasn't sealed? Every opened box (and most sealed ones) have some sort of tiny wear if you look hard enough. Which is the same level of attention paid to the condition of comics. Assinine, anal retentive amounts of attention.

    As for future worth, I agree with blarky... if nintendo keeps chugging, values keep rising.

  • says the guy with an imperfection as his profile pic image
  • image    image

    well I guess that goes to the other point not really discussed so far.  Its been shown time and again that as collectibles markets mature the money goes away from commons and into the rare, one-of-a-kind, and/or top condition items.   

    So both arguments being made on this thread may be right.   Most stuff may go down.  While the truly special stuff gets to stupidly high levels.

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