lol (VGA graded)

[LINK398]

This might be the funniest thing I've seen in a while

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Brand-New-XBOX-360-Halo-3-VGA-GRADED-90-NM-Video-Game-2007-/221293600387?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3386205e83

Wow....

[Graham Mitchell]

This is nothing new. People are probably already grading gta v and charging $200 for it.

[Snappaccino]

Hmm... buy a $725 dollar copy of Halo 3 to look at it inclosed in a plastic coffin, or download it for free and play the game through xbox games with gold... tough call.

[PreZZ]

WTF?? Halo 3 is the most common game EVER, it's still in stores for 9.99?? I can understand grading recent games like Xenoblades or Metroid Trilogy because they are already rare and valuable, but this... come on. They still have the original Halo in Future Shops for 3.99!!

[Niku-Sama]

that's kind of up there with grading pole position for Atari 2600

I have a sealed copy, i'm tempted to just for shits and giggles like these people.
its old so i'll try and sell it for $1200.....no wait I should pay off my truck so $2500

I wonder if people try this to pay off their bills like that...almost seems tweaker logic to paying bills

[Guyra]

I like how he's added a description of the game, along with info such as how many players can play together, game modes, features, etc.

Wouldn't that only be relevant if one were to actually play the game? Which means one would have to open the VGA case, and then open the factory seal? Yeah, I'll pay $725 for it, straight away! :p

[LINK398]

I don't know I'm thinking about buying Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES (just the cartridge) for $5000 It's "rare" only sold like 100 million copies

[PapaStu]

I like how he's added a description of the game, along with info such as how many players can play together, game modes, features, etc.

Wouldn't that only be relevant if one were to actually play the game? Which means one would have to open the VGA case, and then open the factory seal? Yeah, I'll pay $725 for it, straight away! :p

That stuff is added by eBay automatically for games.

Price inflating on graded games is nothing new. A scant few really sell high, many others don't and won't. There is a niche market that has decided to go that route in their collecting, and if thats what they want to do with their money, there are sellers more than willing to make that happen.

[LINK398]

Sent the person a message just to see what they would write here's the message


"It's one of the few that are graded and command a very high price from collectors. Graded games that are in a high graded command a substantial premium over ungraded games. Finding one without price tags or stickers of any kind are necessary for grading. If you take a look online you can find other graded games bringing substantially much more money."

[LINK398]

I'm not even going to respond I don't think the guy will understand that they're not worth anything nevermind

[bigbacon]

what is worse though, them trying to sell them at those idiot prices or the idiot that eventually will buy it? It might take a LONG time but at some point, some moron with lots of money will buy it and then orgasm about it to their mother while she makes him MAc-n-Cheese.

I think it would be silly fun to try just to see if anyone is dumb enough though I think I'd try it on something other than Halo 3.

I should buy the copy of Casino Games that has been floating around on ebay that is sealed and get it graded and then try to sell if for like 1000 OBO...

[BHvrd]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Factory-Sealed-copy-of-NES-Snow-Brothers-VGA-Graded-80-w-Prototype-/251348967941?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3a8590e205

[SparTonberry]

I LOL more at the link auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-FINAL-FANTASY-I-II-V-VII-VIII-IX-ANTHOLOGY-PS-FF-NES-7-SET-LOT-PS1-RPG-GAMES/261226110854?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26 asc%3D18241%26meid%3D2293908081593674110%26pid%3D1 00010%26prg%3D8344%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D2513 48967941%26) for 95 PS1 Final Fantasy games, including 75 copies of the "rare" FF7.

[Rickstilwell1]

I LOL more at the link auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-FINAL-FANTASY-I-II-V-VII-VIII-IX-ANTHOLOGY-PS-FF-NES-7-SET-LOT-PS1-RPG-GAMES/261226110854?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26 asc%3D18241%26meid%3D2293908081593674110%26pid%3D1 00010%26prg%3D8344%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D2513 48967941%26) for 95 PS1 Final Fantasy games, including 75 copies of the "rare" FF7.

Should flag them for the "FF II Nintendo in English" for being a repro/pirate. lol

PS - this is what we call a hoarder! Either that or they are an ex game store owner which I highly doubt. They tried to buy a ton of copies of a game to make it more scarce and corner the market, failing miserably due to PSN. Now they realize their mistake and are trying to get rid of it all.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Factory-Sealed-copy-of-NES-Snow-Brothers-VGA-Graded-80-w-Prototype-/251348967941?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3a8590e205


In the plastic of the "prototype" you can see his face. Look at his big shit eating grin! He looks like a preteen or teenage kid. So that's who buys VGA games. Spoiled rich kids! They trick their parents into buying brand new games for them so they can get them graded and then attempt to sell them off for more money! Brilliant! Picture taken with his cellphone no less...

[Andreas]

At first I was amazed by the idea of the VGA. Nowadays I think the VGA has done more damage to the video game collectors community and to video games as anything else.

I recommend to watch these videos by dangeboy from gamerave.com:

http://youtu.be/1BbHDMXxm04
http://youtu.be/vWWeCteSTgc

[Tanooki]

In essence VGA provides a service that when you look back at coins, cards and comics does provide a need at face value. The problem is you're dead right on it being more of a harm than a good and there's good reasons. I've hit upon this over at NA before and we know how they favor the pro-VGA side of things and ultimately shut down discussion short of one small corralled in pen for people to bitch in so the fans aren't assaulted with a lot of opinion and some distasteful truths too.

The thing is VGA does not and will not publish what their terms are on how they exactly grade a game and deem the value on their number/number + system. I get wanting to protect your ass, but it causes people to just assume blind faith in what they do which is not a good proposition at all playing the old 'pay me, trust me it is in there(but you can't look)' angle. People on NA have resubmitted games multiple times if they didn't like the grade, eventually some I've seen have one go up say like from an 80 to 85+ which does increase value. If they were so certain in their own practices, short of sending an apology letter with an explanation why they fucked up the first time, why can you just keep sending in until you get what you want out of it?

Another issue with them is that, how are they so 100% dead certain a game is legitimately sealed, or far worse, a never sealed item (like a console or accessory) really is new in the box? They can only work by grown experience in what has crossed their desks, but it's not as if they can truly validate what was or wasn't done back in the 80s and 90s on older games 100% at all. Common was the fact stores could reseal a new game if something happened in transport, or for the scum of what turned into Gamestop, they'd let employees rent out new stuff, then reseal and sell new. Very uncommon would be stuff like factory defects or the possibility of damage from product assembled and shipped from Japan but perhaps jacked up by a careless fool in the US branch shipping department of Nintendo, Sega, or some third party where they'd also have the true 'pro' sealing machinery to make a new one over a slightly damaged box. I got to thinking of this due to a thread that died off on NA days ago where it appears to be a new seal with the vent holes, but it has this razor like very thin slit into the black ink of a Demon's Crest box on a thin side of it, and it came from a manager of a game shop who opened up the box when it came in and pocketed one to collect and that thread went straight to hell arguing over it being real or reseal. How is VGA to know if it's still a company seal from the maker of the game or what is that slit was a stupid printers error as we've all seen badly cut coins, dollar bills which the US mint is good about catching mostly, or more commonly books and things where it's out of alignment or printed with issues. VGA is an authority sure, but to what extent?

That's the problem as you put faith and trust into a group that really doesn't have all the answers. But because of the rep people happy to throw money at them have given it, that causes another huge problem with is overall price escalation. VGA will grade stuff new/sealed, but also qualified ratings on open stuff too. This causes a trickle down effect where if someone greedy can get like 4x the value on a graded title, then anyone with a sealed game or a qualified capable title can garner more cash than reasonable because someone else may want to submit it instead and try to make bank. Then in turn for those who are really clueless to what the group does gets the greed heads who will then ask and at times get more for just near mint, mint or very good CIB copies of games and it just tiers down to high quality carts, boxes and books alone. It's the eternal pissing contest to get more for your value and when one person can make a few more bucks than the next on ebay or whatever, then another will think I can too, or maybe I can ask another buck or so and someone will eventually bite, which they do. That's the issue feeding these idiots and trolls you're linking off to ebay on this thread. I'm sure someone on here, probably co-registered at NA will try and tear apart my reasoning, but it is what it is and it's a good line of reasoning that I guess would need the same faith they put into VGA at face value in all fairness too eh?

[jonebone]

I'd actually pay $150 for that. 90 and up isn't as easy to find as some people think. You breathe on some games and it's instantly down to 85+.

[Bojay1997]

I'd actually pay $150 for that. 90 and up isn't as easy to find as some people think. You breathe on some games and it's instantly down to 85+.

That's logic I just don't follow. I can understand why people might want cardboard box games graded as it provides some assurance that the seal is original and some type of evaluation of condition and frankly, there is a limited supply of legitimate sealed cardboard box games out there. Halo 3 is a game that exists in the millions of copies with literally tens or hundreds of thousands of copies still sealed out there. There is also a really nice collector's edition that can be had for about $100 sealed. The standard edition game sealed mint is worth about $20 tops right now. Paying almost 8 times that amount simply because it's graded and has a slightly more pristine exterior seems foolish. Even coin collectors where grading first took off won't pay that kind of premium for an extremely common coin in very high condition.

[jonebone]

That's logic I just don't follow. I can understand why people might want cardboard box games graded as it provides some assurance that the seal is original and some type of evaluation of condition and frankly, there is a limited supply of legitimate sealed cardboard box games out there. Halo 3 is a game that exists in the millions of copies with literally tens or hundreds of thousands of copies still sealed out there. There is also a really nice collector's edition that can be had for about $100 sealed. The standard edition game sealed mint is worth about $20 tops right now. Paying almost 8 times that amount simply because it's graded and has a slightly more pristine exterior seems foolish. Even coin collectors where grading first took off won't pay that kind of premium for an extremely common coin in very high condition.

Well, to be honest, any dime spent on a game that isn't being played is foolish, is it not?

Where I come from, time is money. I don't have the time to search through hundreds of eBay listings trying to find a flawless copy. And believe me, even when I do find that flawless copy that is described as "GEM MINT" from the seller, it's going to arrive with scuffs that you can't see in the pictures. And scuffs absolutely destroy a VGA grade... get one or two noticeable scuffs and it's probably an 85 at best.

Even if I lucked out and bought the most pristine copy on my first try, I'd be looking at about $20 (purchase) + $4 (ship) + VGA cost (ship/insurance/grading fee) $40-$50, so that's about $75. And a 2-3 month wait.

So paying twice that for a guaranteed grade that I want, without the hassle of buying multiple copies is a fair deal for me.

I've been through about 6 Ninja Gaiden Blacks on original Xbox trying to find a nice copy and I still can't even find 85+. And I've browsed at least 50 Amazon / eBay listings asking questions, only buying the ones that were "flawless". Sadly, flawless to a non-VGA eye is usually about an 85 on disc based stuff.

[Bojay1997]

Well, to be honest, any dime spent on a game that isn't being played is foolish, is it not?

Where I come from, time is money. I don't have the time to search through hundreds of eBay listings trying to find a flawless copy. And believe me, even when I do find that flawless copy that is described as "GEM MINT" from the seller, it's going to arrive with scuffs that you can't see in the pictures. And scuffs absolutely destroy a VGA grade... get one or two noticeable scuffs and it's probably an 85 at best.

Even if I lucked out and bought the most pristine copy on my first try, I'd be looking at about $20 (purchase) + $4 (ship) + VGA cost (ship/insurance/grading fee) $40-$50, so that's about $75. And a 2-3 month wait.

So paying twice that for a guaranteed grade that I want, without the hassle of buying multiple copies is a fair deal for me.

I've been through about 6 Ninja Gaiden Blacks on original Xbox trying to find a nice copy and I still can't even find 85+. And I've browsed at least 50 Amazon / eBay listings asking questions, only buying the ones that were "flawless". Sadly, flawless to a non-VGA eye is usually about an 85 on disc based stuff.

I don't agree with the sentiment that games are made only to be played. I agree that they can be collectibles and if people want to keep them unopened in their collection, that's a perfectly rational choice. Having said that, I think there is a difference between an extremely common disc based game like Halo 3 in a standard Xbox case and paying a premium for something that is truly scarce in a very high grade condition. Paying essentially an 8X premium over fair market value for a dirt common item that has been graded is just silly unless your only concern is time and you have no desire to ever resell the item. I just don't see how you ever recoup your investment on something like that which presumably is why most people use VGA anyway.

[bb_hood]

what is worse though, them trying to sell them at those idiot prices or the idiot that eventually will buy it? It might take a LONG time but at some point, some moron with lots of money will buy it and then orgasm about it to their mother while she makes him MAc-n-Cheese.

I think it would be silly fun to try just to see if anyone is dumb enough though I think I'd try it on something other than Halo 3.

I should buy the copy of Casino Games that has been floating around on ebay that is sealed and get it graded and then try to sell if for like 1000 OBO...

This point comes up alot in topics about the VGA, about how if left there long enough SOMEONE will come along and buy it, but I do not think that is the case. Nobody will actually pay these super-inflated prices for VGA graded common games. Stupid people generally dont have thousands of dollars to blow on a single sealed xbox game.

Video game collecting has progressed to a point where everything is viewed as a collectible with value and even more potential value in the future. Back in the day (for example), people would buy new nes and snes games, open them and play them. Less game copies would survive unopened compared to today where once something popular is released, you get many people keeping new games sealed for collecting purposes. Sealed games from like 20 years ago may be rarities, but sealed XBOX games just are not. Serious collectors with money to spend know this and will not drop a fortune on a sealed halo.

[T2KFreeker]

This point comes up alot in topics about the VGA, about how if left there long enough SOMEONE will come along and buy it, but I do not think that is the case. Nobody will actually pay these super-inflated prices for VGA graded common games. Stupid people generally dont have thousands of dollars to blow on a single sealed xbox game.

Video game collecting has progressed to a point where everything is viewed as a collectible with value and even more potential value in the future. Back in the day (for example), people would buy new nes and snes games, open them and play them. Less game copies would survive unopened compared to today where once something popular is released, you get many people keeping new games sealed for collecting purposes. Sealed games from like 20 years ago may be rarities, but sealed XBOX games just are not. Serious collectors with money to spend know this and will not drop a fortune on a sealed halo.

You just said what needed to be said. Point is that the game collecting bubble is getting bigger and bigger. What happens after awhile? It bursts. I saw it with Baseball Cards, I saw it with Comic Books, I saw it with Beanie Babies and people still don't get it. Just because Spider-Man #1 from 1963 is worth $1,000,000.00 doesn't mean that the new Superior Spider-Man from 2013 will be worth the same in 50 years. Why? Because all things are collectible now and people take care of everything now so there are a million plus copies out there. Why is Spider-Man #1 from 1963 worth so much? Because there is only known to be about 17 copies in the entire world known to be mint. They estimate there are around 2,000 copies still out there, but around 1,500 of them or so grade at below "Good" condition and ranging more towards Poor. That's rare, people. Stadium Games is a rare game because there are very few, but ANYTHING that has sold more than a Million copies isn't rare by any stretch of the imagination, period. I still love seeing ads on evilbay for rare games like Final Fantasy VII. What exactly makes the game rare? Because so and so said so. If I am correct, I believe the idea was that if a game made it to Greatest Hits status for the Playstation, it had to sell 500,000 copies, yes? If that is so, how in the Hell is that rare? Just crazy anymore. It's like the last time I walked into my local comicbook shop, the guy had a whole box of X-Men #1 from the 1991 run. It's so rare he has a whole box of just that issue. It at one time, depending on the cover you got, was worth between $25.00 to $50.00. He has the whole box at Fifty Cents an issue and he still can't sell them. You watch, it will happen soon.

[Bojay1997]

You just said what needed to be said. Point is that the game collecting bubble is getting bigger and bigger. What happens after awhile? It bursts. I saw it with Baseball Cards, I saw it with Comic Books, I saw it with Beanie Babies and people still don't get it. Just because Spider-Man #1 from 1963 is worth $1,000,000.00 doesn't mean that the new Superior Spider-Man from 2013 will be worth the same in 50 years. Why? Because all things are collectible now and people take care of everything now so there are a million plus copies out there. Why is Spider-Man #1 from 1963 worth so much? Because there is only known to be about 17 copies in the entire world known to be mint. They estimate there are around 2,000 copies still out there, but around 1,500 of them or so grade at below "Good" condition and ranging more towards Poor. That's rare, people. Stadium Games is a rare game because there are very few, but ANYTHING that has sold more than a Million copies isn't rare by any stretch of the imagination, period. I still love seeing ads on evilbay for rare games like Final Fantasy VII. What exactly makes the game rare? Because so and so said so. If I am correct, I believe the idea was that if a game made it to Greatest Hits status for the Playstation, it had to sell 500,000 copies, yes? If that is so, how in the Hell is that rare? Just crazy anymore. It's like the last time I walked into my local comicbook shop, the guy had a whole box of X-Men #1 from the 1991 run. It's so rare he has a whole box of just that issue. It at one time, depending on the cover you got, was worth between $25.00 to $50.00. He has the whole box at Fifty Cents an issue and he still can't sell them. You watch, it will happen soon.

While I agree that there is a bit of a bubble right now, there are plenty of legitimately rare and in demand games out there that will likely continue to go up in value just like legitimately rare and in demand comics and baseball cards have continued to do. I agree that Halo 3 is never going to be worth much just as most modern games in durable plastic cases that sell in the millions of copies will not be.

[jonebone]

Paying essentially an 8X premium over fair market value for a dirt common item that has been graded is just silly unless your only concern is time and you have no desire to ever resell the item. I just don't see how you ever recoup your investment on something like that which presumably is why most people use VGA anyway.

How often do you sell items from your collection? I collect for keeps on the most interesting items. I don't intend to recoup my "investment" on any of my keepers... because I'm not collecting with the intent of selling them.


Sealed games from like 20 years ago may be rarities, but sealed XBOX games just are not. Serious collectors with money to spend know this and will not drop a fortune on a sealed halo.

"Serious collectors with money" probably don't consider $150 to be a fortune. I sure don't. If you want any decent popular title at 90 or above on NES / SNES / N64, you're generally looking in the 4 digit range minimum. By comparison, a Halo 3 at $150 doesn't seem so bad.

Plus, I already own Halo 1, Halo 2 CE and Halo 4 CE all VGA'd. I've definitely paid more than $150 to complete much less important sets as a collector.

[bb_hood]

"Serious collectors with money" probably don't consider $150 to be a fortune. I sure don't. If you want any decent popular title at 90 or above on NES / SNES / N64, you're generally looking in the 4 digit range minimum. By comparison, a Halo 3 at $150 doesn't seem so bad.

Plus, I already own Halo 1, Halo 2 CE and Halo 4 CE all VGA'd. I've definitely paid more than $150 to complete much less important sets as a collector.

150$ isnt alot, I was referring to the asking price of 700+ (which isnt a 'fortune' but is still alot of money to drop on a single game even if you have money).

My point was that a serious collector who could afford to drop 700 or more on a sealed game would know better if in fact the game was only worth 150$.

[Bojay1997]

How often do you sell items from your collection? I collect for keeps on the most interesting items. I don't intend to recoup my "investment" on any of my keepers... because I'm not collecting with the intent of selling them.



"Serious collectors with money" probably don't consider $150 to be a fortune. I sure don't. If you want any decent popular title at 90 or above on NES / SNES / N64, you're generally looking in the 4 digit range minimum. By comparison, a Halo 3 at $150 doesn't seem so bad.

Plus, I already own Halo 1, Halo 2 CE and Halo 4 CE all VGA'd. I've definitely paid more than $150 to complete much less important sets as a collector.

I've never sold anything except for duplicates that I've acquired over the years in large lots and even then I generally just sell them at cost or less. Having said that, I certainly think about the long term aspects of collecting and the fact that my kids might not care much about a video game collection and that paying inflated prices for items that aren't very rare is a bad use of money that could be spent on other things that would benefit my family or myself or the community. My philosophy has always been to have a really large collection, but also one that's in really nice complete condition. I don't really get paying a service good money to provide information that any experienced collector should have. Like I said, I can understand grading for very high end older stuff where fraud and condition are potential issues and where the buyer and seller need some assurance of these things. On the other hand, I can't imagine ever getting to the point where I would care about a plain cased multi-million selling Xbox 360 game enough to pay a premium for slightly nicer wrap. It's just a really silly expenditure IMHO and not one that has any long term value either monetarily or to my enjoyment as a collector.

[bb_hood]

It's just a really silly expenditure IMHO

Yes, it is.

[jonebone]

Like I said, I can understand grading for very high end older stuff where fraud and condition are potential issues and where the buyer and seller need some assurance of these things. On the other hand, I can't imagine ever getting to the point where I would care about a plain cased multi-million selling Xbox 360 game enough to pay a premium for slightly nicer wrap. It's just a really silly expenditure IMHO and not one that has any long term value either monetarily or to my enjoyment as a collector.

You'd be surprised how abundant fraud is. Two years ago I actually bought (and returned) resealed copies of Halo 1 (Xbox) and Mario Sunshine / Zelda Wind Waker (Gamecube). There's definitely more profit incentive to reseal vintage games, but disc based reseals are much harder to detect since there is no creasing from an opened box (like on NES).

Believe it or not, there are also sealed games from the current generation that are extremely hard to come by. Like take DeadRising first print black label for example. Release date 2006. Luckily I obtained my VGA 85+ copy at open auction for about $70 about a year or two ago. Surprised it went that cheap considering what my snipe was. Since then, I've sold two raw ungraded copies (that were about 85s) for $125 and $150. Very easy sell above $100, yet it is a 360 game (that sold a million copies as well).

I'm not expecting to retire off my collection, but I've been collecting sealed / VGA long enough to know how to spend my money. And I know that $150 on Halo 3 VGA 90 isn't as bad as you think. Now $750? Yeah that's insane and stupid. $150? A drop in the bucket for most sealed collectors.

[old_skoolin_jim]

I sent the ebay Snow Bros guy an offer of $5.00. I'll let you know if he accepts or not!
:popcorn: