Whats a good condition C64 worth?

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Whats a good condition C64 worth?

Postby Old_System_ 80_User on Sat Sep 25, 2010 2:21 pm

I'm looking at a C64 (not breadbox) with disk drive, centronics printer interface, quite a lot of software and books (no monitor, or printer) and have been asked to give it a price - suggestions please
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Re: Whats a good condition C64 worth?

Postby tezza on Sat Sep 25, 2010 2:39 pm

Hmmm...C64s are common. But with the gear thrown in. Assuming it working and with no issues for the consol and drive and in tidy condition (and assuming no original boxes both for the hardware and software) somewhere around $90?

Of course that's just my estimation based on what I would be satisfied to get if I was selling it. The value of these things is always just how much the buyer wants it. Nostalgia plays a bit role and you can't put a price on that.
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Re: Whats a good condition C64 worth?

Postby YetiSeti on Sat Sep 25, 2010 10:29 pm

Old_System_ 80_User wrote:I'm looking at a C64 (not breadbox) with disk drive, centronics printer interface, quite a lot of software and books (no monitor, or printer) and have been asked to give it a price - suggestions please

I will instead try answer the question how much is this lot might sell for at auction.

The C64 is the most common vintage computer auction for sale on trademe and it is not uncommon to see a couple listed at the same time. Prices start at $35 upwards for an orphan, and $40-$70 is the most common range for ones in lots. The premium comes when original boxing for the computer is still present, and the specifics of peripherals and software. Not having a printer to pay postage on makes the auction more desirable.

I would say $50 is a good start, but the determinant for what you describe would be how many books there are (published ones,not just manuals for the tape and disc drives), and amount of original (boxed) software there is.

For some mental arithmetic, a fiver for each book and a couple of dollars for each bit of original software. Make it five for a cartridge. Some people don't care if they're originals and just want it for the games. A disc box of 50 copied games can be appealing to a non-collector.

Lowest prices are for pick up only auctions.

The best prices at auction actually go to the best described with hyperbole and best laid out for photographs. That is my top tip that many don't do as they lay out their clumps of "look what I pulled out of the shed, there's no reason why it should not work because it did 25 years ago" type auctions.
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Re: Whats a good condition C64 worth?

Postby Carcenomy on Sun Sep 26, 2010 3:43 am

YetiSeti bingo'd it basically.

Speaking as someone who's been shopping for vintage gear but hasn't bought much, the auctions where the owner has clearly known what the topic matter is and what working condition it's in makes a massive difference. 'I don't see why it wouldn't work now when it did in 1983' is not a sales pitch I want to hear.

The other thing to take into consideration is damage via age - a box of floppies that once worked might be entirely destroyed by deterioration from age by now. Check they work before offering them as a perk on an auction.
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Re: Whats a good condition C64 worth?

Postby tezza on Sun Sep 26, 2010 4:02 am

I agree with the others regarding auction descriptions. If it's not described well or accurately, it pretty much a gamble as to what you're going to get. If in doubt ask lots of questions and if they are not answered satisfactorily then bid accordingly.

When I first started to collect computers I got caught out with the old "It powers up" mini-description. I learnt from that.
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