Old computer rarity guide

Anything to do with New Zealand Classic or Vintage Computing not covered in the other forums

Old computer rarity guide

Postby lizardb0y on Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:32 am

I just re-found this spreadsheet (now somewhat out-of-date) of sales figures and eBay prices for various machines:

http://www.cyberfritz.com/rarity.xls

Tez, you've been maintaining a list of TradeMe sale prices haven't you?
lizardb0y / Andrew
Just another 8-bit hustler

blog: http://www.vintage8bit.com
twitter: @vintage8bit
google+: http://gplus.to/lizardb0y
trademe: andrew9 - over 500 positive trades.
lizardb0y
 
Posts: 549
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:50 am
Location: Wellington

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby tezza on Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:42 pm

lizardb0y wrote:I just re-found this spreadsheet (now somewhat out-of-date) of sales figures and eBay prices for various machines:

http://www.cyberfritz.com/rarity.xls

Tez, you've been maintaining a list of TradeMe sale prices haven't you?


Errr...when I last spoke to you I was. However, I didn't maintain the exercise. Other things just got in the way :(
Tez (Terry Stewart) (Administrator)
Collection: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/co ... /index.htm
Projects and Articles: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/index.htm
Twitter: @classiccomputNZ | YouTube: Terry Stewart
Trade Me: tezza5
tezza
Site Admin
 
Posts: 2382
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 pm
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby lizardb0y on Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:25 pm

tezza wrote:
lizardb0y wrote:Tez, you've been maintaining a list of TradeMe sale prices haven't you?


Errr...when I last spoke to you I was. However, I didn't maintain the exercise. Other things just got in the way :(


I'd be keen to go through and add the ones I know of to the list, if you were willing to share it. I think it could be a very valuable resource if we were to collectively maintain it. What do you think?
lizardb0y / Andrew
Just another 8-bit hustler

blog: http://www.vintage8bit.com
twitter: @vintage8bit
google+: http://gplus.to/lizardb0y
trademe: andrew9 - over 500 positive trades.
lizardb0y
 
Posts: 549
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:50 am
Location: Wellington

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby tezza on Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:13 pm

Maybe. There is no reason why there couldn't be a running public list on a NZ website somewhere if someone was committed to maintaining it. Imagine what an interesting resource that would be!

I see a few fishhooks though, which I'll note as a reply to this later tonight. I just have to rush off now..
Tez (Terry Stewart) (Administrator)
Collection: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/co ... /index.htm
Projects and Articles: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/index.htm
Twitter: @classiccomputNZ | YouTube: Terry Stewart
Trade Me: tezza5
tezza
Site Admin
 
Posts: 2382
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 pm
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby tezza on Thu Apr 07, 2011 9:19 pm

Andrew,

I'll send you the Excel spreadsheet I have via email after I finish with this note. There is not that much there. I only kept a record of the machines I was interested in (my "classic" machines) which means it's far from complete, even over the short period.

Feel free to add your bits or incorporate mine into what you have. If you could get the combined data set back to me I'd be grateful.

It would be great to have some kind of archive/database of Trade Me vintage computer sales for scrutiny from time to time. These are some of the issues I see around it though.

1. Saving data so it can be compared. It's not too hard to save raw data from Trademe as regarding sales. But to make it useful someone has to get the data into some kind of standard form where meaningful comparisons can be made. For example, an Apple IIe gets sold on Trade Me, price $120. However was it working? what was the condition of the case? Did it come with software?, Extras?, A screen and drives? In order for meaningful sale price comparisons to be made all this would need to be captured too. This means some sort of database set up. A lot of design work first for someone or a team.

2. What gets captured? Everything on Trade Me vintage computers or just a subset.

3. If the list was public, would this effect the market, with people (as with houses now) simply refusing to part with anything less that what the list indicates it should be worth according to past sales even if those past prices might have been an abberation?

I'm not pouring cold water on the idea. Just some things to think about.
Tez (Terry Stewart) (Administrator)
Collection: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/co ... /index.htm
Projects and Articles: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/index.htm
Twitter: @classiccomputNZ | YouTube: Terry Stewart
Trade Me: tezza5
tezza
Site Admin
 
Posts: 2382
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 pm
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby lizardb0y on Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:34 am

Thanks, got your email with the spreadsheets.

I've pondered those same questions myself, along with a fourth:

4. Is there really any value in the exercise, considering the rapidly change and inconsistency in sale prices?

I don't have answers, but I am curious as to any identifiable trends in prices - like the recent insanity with Apple related gear.
lizardb0y / Andrew
Just another 8-bit hustler

blog: http://www.vintage8bit.com
twitter: @vintage8bit
google+: http://gplus.to/lizardb0y
trademe: andrew9 - over 500 positive trades.
lizardb0y
 
Posts: 549
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:50 am
Location: Wellington

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby tezza on Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:04 am

lizardb0y wrote:I don't have answers, but I am curious as to any identifiable trends in prices - like the recent insanity with Apple related gear.


Yes, an analysis of trends is an interesting exercise. More so, what is causing the trends? I do believe Apple gear has moved upward in price lately. There may be a whole host of reasons, but I suspect the fact that Apple still exists and still has a this (well-cultivated) image of innovation and coolness has something to do with it. Historical gear by Apple has wider market appeal than historical gear by, say, Sinclair or the other firms that failed to survive past the 1980s.
Tez (Terry Stewart) (Administrator)
Collection: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/co ... /index.htm
Projects and Articles: https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/index.htm
Twitter: @classiccomputNZ | YouTube: Terry Stewart
Trade Me: tezza5
tezza
Site Admin
 
Posts: 2382
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 pm
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand

Re: Old computer rarity guide

Postby YetiSeti on Sun Apr 10, 2011 10:13 pm

I've been planning on doing a rarity list for NZ for a wee while (actually really just revisited the idea the week before this post). I at least have a pretty good feeling for what's been available on the market over the last 6 years of auctions. Between what's floating around in my head and what's on old-computers and perhaps what I can dredge up on a few NZ collector web sites I think a fairly good snapshot can be constructed.

It was just going to be a 1-10 scale rarity, but also an attempt to estimate the quantities of the computers out there too with broad categories just as 1-5, 5-10, 10-20, 50+, 100+, etc for example. Price guides are subjective, so there is value in more than one being available rather than a definitive list.

I am interested in separate figures for NZ-original, meaning used in the period, and ones imported into NZ by collectors.

It's likely to be a google doc that can be shared with email addresses.
YetiSeti
 
Posts: 368
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:27 pm


Return to General

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests

cron