Good Finds

[GENESISNES]

I want you to post some very good finds at thrift stores, Pawn Shops, or Goodwill stores. I have yet to see a good find, but probobly a lot of boxed Sega Genesis games, and once a 1.99 Donkey Kong Country 2: Dixies Double Trouble

[den68]

the thing about finding stuff at the shops you mentioned is you have to be persistant. almost everything I have has come from thrifts, at least 70% of it. I've got about 60 systems (not all different) and over 2000 games (mostly all different) so the stuff is there. I have about 6 thrift shops that I go to at least twice a week. I know I wouldn't have as much if I wasn't so persistant. I'm lucky though, most of these places are between my work and home so I can hit a couple a day and still only take about an extra 20 minutes to get home.

some highlights from the past year or so:

Swordquest Waterworld- Atari 2600
Final Fantasy- NES
Alien vs Predator- Jaguar
Virtual Boy system- complete
3DO system- complete
Goldstar CD-I system- complete
Colecovision- complete and boxed
Sega Master System- complete
Milton Bradley Microvison- complete and boxed
Robotic Operating Buddy- NES (missing a few parts, but working)
Magnavox Odyssey 2- complete and boxed

If you don't find anything the first few stops don't right the place off, keep checking. I had one store that I did not find a thing at for almost 4 months and almost gave up on it. i'm glad i didn't because i've found games the last 4 times I've stopped in.

It really is a crap shoot, but that's half the fun.

[Raedon]

I have got common NES and genesis games at thrift stores but thats about it.. I've never found a system at a thrift store in my town of operation for one reason.. when game equipment comes into my goodwill, it hits the checkin guys (two dudes around 20) and it stops right there. The same is true with the salvation army. I go to a neiboring town to a goodwill there to get stuff as they only has some old people moving things around and checking in electronics.

Just so you don't think I didn't try I used to go in this one goodwill every day at lunch for over 6 months. now I only go in twice a week but I haven't seen anything there sense the $3.00 Genesis sports games. the only thing I have baught in there was a DK country and Excitebike for $1.00.. :?

[CrazyImpmon]

Some of my best thrift find includes a complete Sears Arcade (Intelly clone) and 30 CIB Inty games (all for $30), a complete Gemini console, a 3rd party 4+1 RAM cart for Saturn ($0.99 for that one), and a working 128D with keyboard for $5.

I've spotted shitloads of XBox stuff (mostly Target store rejects) and PC games (many are open and missing games :P)

I haven't visited any thrift stores lately because I don't usually have the time for a 20+ mi trip one way to Flint

[Atarian Austin]

I like Goodwill! I got a load a 2600 games, some NES games, and some Intellivision games. I got an NES system and an Intellivision II there also.

[Jorpho]

I, too, find that Goodwill has an astonishing dearth of games. The most I've ever found there was Alligator Mix for the TI-99 and an empty C64 Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy box. (I actually paid 50 cents for that empty box; it is something of a novelty, but they wouldn't let it go for free...) Oh, and an Oddessey2 K.C. Munchkin.

By the way, does anyone else see stacks of Enigma Pinball at the Salvation Army lately, or is that just around here? (I wonder what the story is behind that one; it's definitely not an official Epic Megagames release, but surely the original shareware Android table would have been easier to release?)
________
Gang Bang Tube (http://www.fucktube.com/categories/21/gang-bang/videos/1)

[briskbc]

I love threads like this. I rarely find anythinge at thrift stores and the Salvation Army. The best I have done is a bunch of old Sierra PC games for $2 each. They were inthe boxes which were mint but the documents were missing. Pawn shops on the other hand are fantastic in my area. I don't get much older stuff but heres a list.

Snatcher (complete) $5
Klonoa $9
FF2 (cart only) $8
Chrono Trigger (cart only) $5
Xenogears (mint) $10
Breath of Fire 4 (mint) $10
Final Fantasy (cart only NES) $3.50
Action 53 (cart only NES) $1.50
Marvel VS Capcom 2 (DC) $10
A box of 15 complete C64 games. All great titles incuding Bards Tale 1 & 2 $17

Video stores are also great. I have owned about 9 copies of Chrono Trigger because a video store chain in my area was getting rid of SNES games. All but one have been sold on ebay.

[Atarian Austin]

I didn't even know you could still find SNES games at video stores. I guess I should check my local Home Video.

[usk84flip]

As far as salvation army goes. I picked up a complete zelda for about $1.83 or something. It was originally $2.00 and he gave me a discount on a lot of 5 boxed games I got because I had told him I'd sell him the extra Super Dodge Ball I had for $10.00. I came back and the idiot didn't even have the money for the game "That he had been looking for forever". So I sold it on ebay for $20.00... no skin off my back.

My recent find was for SNES. I never know what anything goes for because I collect NES, and came across this lot of 18 games, system, all with manuals, and even a couple extra manuals for other games that weren't there for $50.00. I got a bunch of great games like donkey kong country, dk country 2, uniracers(one of my favorities), zelda(of course), mario world(of course), maximum carnage, mario world 2, pilotwings, ... a few others... and last, that I thought I had heard was a little on the rare side was "secret of mana"... So I picked it up, and to my surprise I could sell the secret of mana for half of what the lot went for and still have money left. Following:(shameless plug) Secret of mana with guide is up on ebay right now. usk84flip is my name. I thought this wasn't a bad find though since I can keep most the games and not feel bad even though I don't collect anything for other systems just yet. ~Matt

[kevincure]

The only decent find I've ever got at a thrift store is a TI-99 with plugs, video modulator, av cable, adventure, parsec, the attack, hangman, car wars, hunt the wumpus, hangman, ti invaders, football, alpiner, budget management, a user reference guide, "read this first" guide, instructions for parsec and household budget management, video modulator operating guide and the book "using & programming the TI-99/4A", all in mint condition (though without boxes).

As a sidenote, email me (cure@bu.edu) if you want to buy or trade for this, since I bought this for novelty and haven't even gotten around to turning it on (I collect more modern stuff primarily). I'm sure I coudl give it to you for < than ebay.

cure

[driftout625]

I've been scouring 2nd hand stores in Australia for over 10 years and highlights include :

Fully functional Japanese Megadrive with Super Magic Drive , all leads and 70 disks for $35 Aus ($20 US)

PC Engine GT with 24 Hu Cards and psu for $50 Aus ($30 US)

Boxed NeoGeo cart system with memory card and old style joystick for $69 Aus ($35US)

43 Neo home carts (Ninja Masters , NeoTurfmasters , Real Bout , Real Bout 2, Real Bout Special , Stakes Winner , Metal Slug 2, Last Blade , Last Blade 2 , Art of Fighting 1,2,3, Fatal Fury 1,2, Special , King Of Fighters 94,95,97,98,98 , Windjammers , Samurai Showdown 1,2,3 , Ghost Pilots , Spinmaster, King Of Monsters 1,2, Galaxy Fight , Savage Reign , Mutation Nation , Karnov's Revenge , World Heroes, World Heroes 2 ,Top Players Golf, Super Spy , Baseball Stars Pro , Baseball Stars 2 , Super Baseball 2020 , Burning Fight , Nam '75 , Cyberlip , League Bowling , a modified US Neo , 2 joysticks , memory card and RGB cable for $1800 Aus ($1000 US). All games were boxed and complete in excellent condition except for League Bowling (which came loose with a Game Dude sticker on it ).

Megaman The Wily Wars for Pal Megadrive (mint complete) for $10 Aus ($6 US)

Outrun 3D for Master System complete for $10 Aus ($6 US)

Sega Master System 3D glasses with adapter for $2 Aus ($1 US)

Boxed Master System 3D glasses for $5 Aus ($3 US)

Boxed Vectrex complete for $60 Aus ($35 US)

Sega Saturn Video card boxed for $15 Aus ($9 US)

Chronotrigger boxed complete for $30 Aus ($18 US)

Snow Brothers mint complete for Japanese Megadrive for $20 Aus ($12 US).

Terranigma mint complete for Pal Snes for $15 Aus ($9 US).

Amstrad Mega PC (plays Megadrive games) with books , original monitor , controls etc for $200 Aus ( $110 US).

[dhorgan]

I picked up a boxed complete Odyssey 2 (even the warranty card!) for $5.00 at a farmer's market once.

[Sylentwulf]

My biggest problem, is that there are only 2 thrift stores (One goodwill, one salvation army) within a 45 minute radius from my house. I went to both of them about 3-4 times a week for a VERY long time, found some reasonable finds, but if I put the same amount of time into searching on ebay I find better deals, so I usually don't even bother any more. I probly go to goodwill once a week, salvation army never. Salvation army charges $6 per nintendo game and they won't take in anything older than that.

[Sylentwulf]

My biggest problem, is that there are only 2 thrift stores (One goodwill, one salvation army) within a 45 minute radius from my house. I went to both of them about 3-4 times a week for a VERY long time, found some reasonable finds, but if I put the same amount of time into searching on ebay I find better deals, so I usually don't even bother any more. I probly go to goodwill once a week, salvation army never. Salvation army charges $6 per nintendo game and they won't take in anything older than that.

[kevates]

My greatest thrift store find was a 2600 Music Machine for 40 cents. That was 3 or 4 years ago. I haven't found anything that cool at a thrift store in quite a while.

Kevin

[CrazyImpmon]

I wish to report a local Kmart's idioticity. At a Kmart store in Saginaw (M-43, southwest area of Saginaw) I spotted a mint and sealed Cobra COmmando for the NES with the $45.00 clearance tag. I checked and it is $45. It was still there when I left so if anyone's in Saginaw area and wants to try for that game.

No wonder Kmart's bankrupt. They can't tell when it's time to take a loss and move on.

[GENESISNES]

My mom(hey im only 13)drives me to the two goodwills near us. and local pawn shops. Dont try pawn america. they sell SNES games at 10-20 a peice LOOSE!!!

[CrazyImpmon]

I wish to report my friend visited a Goodwill shop near Pontiac and he reported finding about 30 Atari 2600 games. They were priced at $9.99 each and mixed in with about 20 Genesis sport titles at the same price. The rarest game in the mix that he can remember is the Canyon Bomber.

So it's part GW find, part GW insanity. :P He didn't get any as it wasn't worth anything at all.

[tom]

I love thrift shops, although we call them second-hand shops in England, also fleamarkets are being held in England every Sunday. Great if you're a Pong collector (For those weird UK Pong machines).
Depending on the area, London and surroundings has cheap thrift shops, more rural and the stuff gets more expensive.

My favorite thrift shop near London buys GB games from little kids for $3.00 and sells them for $6.00. Gotta be careful, because kids throw boxes and instructions away (stupid kids). He also sells 3DO and DC games for $3.00, which is cool. England also has Cash Converters (US origin?), but usually that stuff is pretty beaten. Even so, I found a MPS801 for $6.00 and lots of CDi titles for $0.50 each.

My best find was the Sega TeraDrive from a thrift shop, $100.00 but worth it.

Now with ebay, usually I can get hardware and software cheaper than in thrift shops, but sometimes a bargain still can be found.

[Atariguy]

Last Bronx: $5 (complete)
Ys Books I and II: $3 (CD plus non-matching case)
Ys III: $3 (complete)

Though my really good finds come from tag/garage/yard sales:
Vectrex with 9 games, all with overlays: $9
Donkey Kong arcade machine: $20 (not in great condition, but it worked and was good for the price)
15 Vectrex games, all with overlays, most with manuals, including a light pen and all 3 games: $5

[GENESISNES]

A VECTREX FOR 9 BUCKS???? whOA

[GENESISNES]

how the crapper can i forget???

I went to a local gas station/rental, and they had NES games with the boxes.(some instructions) they were selling Mega Man 3 for 4.99 i got it.

[ARCZero]

I've been thrifting for 2-3 years. I've had little luck with the Salvation Army, but probably find one decent item each month at the Goodwill. Here are some highlights:

1. Intv 2, 8 boxed games - $10
2. Two complete SNES boxed games - $10, sold them for $85 on eBay
3. Two Odyssey 2's - $10 each
4. Boxed complete Sega Master System (SMS is broken, but box and other items are worth it) - $15
5. Atari 5200 console - $8
6. Tons of NES games, some boxed, at $3 each

I've passed up several Commodores, Apple IIes, and Apple IIGS computers.

At garage sales I've found cool things like a boxed TG-16 with games for $8, Atari Pinball / Pong unit for $1, and a box of 30 Atari and 15 Intellivision boxed games for $20.

[coleco_chris]

Today I found a Game Program Case which was dark brown on the outside, and black plastic on the inside. I've got 3 others which are in the original Atari catalog, which are orange-looking to me. Anyone know what the difference is?

Anyway, there were 8 games inside the one I found today including a few that I didn't have. It was only $4.00. Goodwill & the like are hit & miss-just have to be persistent!

[Marc4242]

Gee, where to start. Newest to oldest... some highlights.

Coleco Frogger (Canadian Version) Tabletop $5 Complete!
NFL 2K3 for Xbox $10.20
8 NES systems with 4 A/C adaptors (Nothing else) $5 total
Atari King Kong $0.99
Atari James Bond with half a box $0.99
11" Panasonic TV (Cable ready) $6.99 I know it's not a game, but I use it for that purpose!
And probably my best find, a boxed Vectrex Light Pen for $3.00! Now I just need to pony up for a system.

Lots of common stuff in between this stuff, but I guess you need that too!

[omnedon]

I check the Goodwills and Value Villages (thrift shop) twice weekly around here. Definitely hit and miss. Highlights:

ColecoVision (no AC adapter) $2.99CDN ($1.75US)
Atari 2600 woodgrain 4 switch $9.99CDN ($6.25US)
SEGA Game Gear $15.00CDN ($9.50 US)

Games for both, usually around 1.99CDN each

And yes, occasionally there is also the insanity. At a Value Village an Atari AC adapter, likely for an Atari computer (definitely not a 2600 adapter - it's a huge brick like a ColecoVision AC adapter) for $9.99CDN. Yarg!! It's still there, mocking me every time I go back in... :?

I'm actually starting to turn stuff down now, like $1.99CDN Inty loose commons. I'd like to save 'em, but they go for half that on E-bay in lots. I gotta save the coin for when the once in a lifetime deal is there... :P

I find garage sales even less likely. I check 'em out, but I no longer traverse the city for them. Waaaaaay too much driving versus the finds. (40 garage sales = 3 good finds) I get better mileage out of the thrift stores it seems.