You've found a Holy Grail. Now what?

[Queen Of The Felines]

Let's say one day you decide to go browse your local flea market/pawn shop/garage sales. You see a plethora of the usual crap: Combat, Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt, Genesis sports games, etc. But then you see it, the one item that you KNOW everyone's been searching for, but only a precious few actually own or has even seen. The Air Raid. The gold Nintendo World Champ cart. The Eli's Ladder. The Odyssey Percepts. The Japanese Vectrex. The previously undiscovered prototype. Y'know, those things. Oh, and it's being sold for $1. (Hey, we can dream, can't we? ;) )

So you immediately buy it and take it home. Now what do you do?

Sell it? Trade it? Donate it to a museum (if one existed by then)? Brag about it to everyone? Keep it quiet? Bronze it? Proudly display it? Keep it hidden away? Put it in a safety deposit box? Play it? Never, ever touch it?

What would you do?

Kristine

[ClubNinja]

Let's use Air Raid for this example.

After getting home, I'd lovingly clean it, plug it into my 2600, play it for about five minutes (unless it's especially enjoyable, in which case, until I'm sick of playing), check it off my list, tuck it into the 2600 bin right between Adventures of Tron and Air Raiders, and finally, post about it on every related forum and newsgroup I frequent. If I did enjoy playing it, then it would likely make more trips into the 2600 on future dates.

That's all. In fact, if you remove the last step, you've essentially got the same routine that I've used for games such as Home Run, Frogger, and any other common. They're all the same in my collection - some just have a better story to tell ;)

[Mr-E_MaN]

If it was for the NES (ie. Stadium Events, Gold NWC) I would keep it. If it was for another system, I would probably trade it for NES games like Stadium events or Gold NWC... or maybe sell it... but either way I would buy NES games with the money... or something video game related...


:D

[Sega Hitman]

If I ever find something as rare as Air Raid, you can bet it'd be put on eBay that same day LOL . I might offer it to somebody like Joe first, but I'd most certainly sell it. It's not that I'm greedy, but I'd much rather have a couple thousand games instead of a crappy 2600 game that only hardcore collectors have even heard of. If it were only worth a few hundred instead of a few thousand, like Stadium Events or something, I might hold onto it for a little while, but probably not very long.

-Hitman-

[Pantechnicon]

Personally, it's more important to have games I enjoy playing than games I would "worship" for their rarity. Case in point: Last summer I found Atari 2600 Malagai at a local shop for $4. They had no idea what that thing was worth. For a couple of days I was like, "Woot!" but then decided I should try to do something with it other than simply possess it. Where's the fun in that?

So I traded it at CGE for a couple of multicarts. Best. Personal. Trade. Ever. :D

[Bratwurst]

I would sell it, as ultimately it would land in the lap of someone who truly wanted it. Super rare stuff doesn't tickle my underpants, unless it were something like Magical Chase, hahaha,

[hades]

I would likely put it on the floor, dance around it for a bit, pet it, clean it, and then brag about it for a bit. I'd put it back on the shelf for a few days, than repeat the process over at a weekly basis.

Yes... I am that much of a loser.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I'd hang onto it, myself. Bring it to any meets or shows that I go to. Tell all my friends to come over and give it a play. Loan it to the CGE Museum if it's truly worthy. Do a big write-up on my site for all to read. Get it dumped if it hasn't been already. Scan the labels and box art and manual, if applicable.

In short, I'd share it. That, to me, is what it's all about.

To back that up, anyone who comes to see the PDF table at OKGE gets to play Power Lords and some other O2 rarities all they want. :-D

[Videogamerdaryll]

Play it..then Proudly display it.. :-D

[MarioAllStar2600]

i wqould take it home. But it in a fireproof case. Brag about my find to everyone, even the mailman! :P

[briskbc]

I am between a rock and a hard place on this one. The collector in me would say keep it. Treasure it. But my practical side knows we (my family) are in a financial bind and this would help out a lot. I would probable sell it and regret it for years.

[hamburgler]

It depends. If it's rare and worth a lotta money, i wouldn't sell it unless someone offered me the price I asked to pay me.If I found a rare game for cheap or very expensive, I would still pick it up no matter what.

[Chunky]

NWC would keep, put it on display somehow. Everything else would be played once or twice and sold, there is soo much out there that i want that i don't have, why bother with 1 game when i need still way more over 100+

[den68]

I'd keep it for sure. I'd probably do what my wife calls my "happy dance". I'd then take pictures of it to post, to brag a bit sure but also so everyone can see it. I like posting pics if I find something I'm particularly excited about. I like seeing other peoples finds as well.

I always read the weekly finds threads and am awed at some of the scores. it's always cool when someone posts a a pic of their stuff. the Game Room pics are one of my favorite features of this site.

[Scoots]

If it was a NES grail I'd probably keep it since that is the only system I would ever even *consider* trying to complete (and I sure as hell won't pay Ebay prices for NWC or Panesian stuff). Other systems, assuming the game isn't great, I'd most likely sell.

[buttasuperb]

Sell it.

I'd rather have arcade cabs.

[1bigmig]

Well, if I got the gold NWC, I would find someone with a high quality digital camcorder, make sure the lighting was perfect and then destroy it slowly and irreversibly. I would then forward this video to every NES site on the web.


Just kidding, unless I was very well off when I found it, I would scan it for posterity and then would sell it for thousands.

[Nature Boy]

I'd definitely keep it. I'm more into game quality than rarity quality, but even I get caught up in the whole rarity thing so I'd be damn excited to have it.

I'd be *really* looking forward to 'bragging' about it here. So I'd start figuring out how I'd take a picture with it first. But a post here wouldn't be far away :)

[christianscott27]

i've been in this spot with the vectrex minicade, when i found mine at the flea market it was only the 2cnd one known to exist. it was a funny site, i went to flea market out of the city by bus and subway and had to carry this thing back that way, i'm too cheap for a cab ride. so there i was with something the size of a 27" TV, crossing a 4 lane hi-way, taking a crowded city bus and going down 2 lines of the subway to bring this baby home. damn my arms were tired but i knew that it was the find of a lifetime. as soon as i got home i had to try and convince my wife that it wasnt junk, she was like " i like the regular vectrex better, this thing is ugly and big"...

the first thing i did was call up my friends who collect and make them come over to "oooh and ahh" over it. then i posted and fielded questions on it, i thought for maybe 10 mnutes about selling it and then decided no way never its mine. i had some pictures of it hosted online and that was that. it was my treasure, something i had on the santullis and ianoids of this world ;) then lightening struck again, i tracked one down at an coin-op warehouse and picked it up for $100...i had 2 of them! so i thought what to do with #2, i hate ebay with a passion and the trade offers were not making good sense so i decided to do a newsgroup auction. ng auctions are the old school way to sell things, i used the vectrex group so at least it would go to somebody in the community. the auction ran for 2 weeks and the bidding went up to 775, now my wife was impressed. so i got the money orders and took it to mailboxes etc. no trouble letting it go since i had 2, the buyer was happy with it and i spent most of the money on my ps2 and arcade machine...all good.

i'm pretty hardcore, i never let go of anything until i have a double, even if it means i could make a lot of cash.

[maxlords]

I'd sell it. I have no need for games that I wouldn't play, and 99% of the rarest stuff is stuff I'd never use. I'd use the money for either a big buying spree, or to pay bills.

[Oobgarm]

If it was an NES grail, I'd keep it, maybe even put it in a red velvet-lined glass case. After I played it, of course.

If it was otherwise, I'd offer it up here. Lord knows that someone would want it, and it could find a better home.

[orrimarrko]

See, I've been in this situation TWICE now, so I can speak a little from experience.

The first was finding the MINT in MINT boxed, complete Q'Bert's Qubes for the 2600. It cost me $2.99 at a local game shop. I swore that I would never sell it, unless I was going to give up collecting (especially for the 2600.) I had the need to sell it, however, so I did - for $350. Should I have sold $350 worth of common or medium-rare games instead? I don't know.

The second was getting the SNES StarFox Competition cart at the same store a few months later for $9.99. Having parted with the Q'Bert's Qubes, and remembering the pain involved, I said that I would keep that one - come hell or high water. Well, I overspent my video game "allowance", and so I had to sell that (along with my NTSC Stadium Events cart and manual!)

Point is, my intent was never to sell them, and while I would certainly not play them often, I wanted to keep them for display, and for the joy that the "find" itself brought me.

However, I sold them because I needed to. So, to me, holy grails are great to keep, unless you truly need the dough they can bring. After all - the 4 GRAND that an Air Raid could bring, buys many an item.

If money was not an object however, I would never sell a holy grail - unless I had more than one, like Christian, or if I stopped collecting altogether.

[Raccoon Lad]

I actually do have one (Quadrun with manual) I've thought about selling it, the profit from that ONE game could be enough for me to COMPLETE my US SMS collection.... But I like being able to say "Neener neener neener, I got me a Quadrun for the price of an Oscar Mayer weiner!!!!" LOL

[udisi]

well I have my NWC gold cart in a glass case with a mirrored back and black velvet bottom...It looks like something out of a musem... I play too, as it is a very fun game, but when not in use it's in the case and looks spiffy :D

[zemmix]

I have a glass case (old stereo shelf) that I keep the good stuff in. I don't part with anything unless I have a double.

[TheRedEye]

I would start an online magazine that shares and encourages others to do the same.

[Tritoch]

I'd sell it regardless of what it was. I would brag about the find first of course, but ultimately it'd go to one of you fine folk or on eBay.

Even if it was an extremely fun game, I wouldn't be able to pass up the chance to pay off some debt.

[Darth Vader]

It all depends on the system. If it was vectrex or channel F or some other system I didn't collect for, I would sell it right away. Any others, I would keep and play only once in a while.

Probably the rarest Atari game I have is Motorodeo NTSC with manual. I have played it a few time, but mostly I just enjoy knowing it was my greatest find "in the wild". If I ever sold it, I probably would work a deal with Ianoid, since I know he really would appreciate it. (Sorry Ian, but I don't think I will sell this any time soon. ;) )

Very interesting topic!!

Danny

[dreamcaster]

I don't have anything particularly rare (check the collection link and see for yourself! :P), however, in the even that I do come acrosss a rarity that I actually want - e.g. Panzer Dragoon Saga - I'd treat it in the same way that I treat all my games:

1. Remove price tag(s)
2. Clean up as best as possible/necessary
3. Play it for a few days constantly (though I suspect PDS would get more than just a few days).
4. Then retire it to the shelf, occasionally coming out whenever I feel like playing it.

I have no huge in interest in extremely rare games - I only get games I want to play. If, however, that games turns out to be rare - then I suppose that's a bonus!

However, I'm a gamer first - collector second. 8-)

[Captain Wrong]

Depending on my mood and if it was something I actually collected vs. something fanboys annoyingly lust after I'd:

A) say to myself "hey, cool find" and tuck it in the collection with everything else gathering dust.

B) brag, brag, brag.

C) sell, sell, sell.

D) use it in a ritual sacrifice to the thrift gods in hopes that the next time I find something really worth peeing yourself for it'll be something that I actually collect or this damn local jazz LP I really want and I know I'll find someday for a price less than $800.

[dave2236]

I'd eat it. :bigmac:

[Nespit]

My nwc is just lying between a truckload of other cartridges. Not gonna sell. otherwise i will regret it. I am a collector, i don't collect to get a money profit out of it in the future. Course it is nice that it has a higher value over time, but i collect to .. i dunno.. just. i cannot collect nothin. i have to collect stuff.

In the stone age i would have been a Collector for sure instead of a hunter.

[ianoid]

And I did recently find an unreleased Colecovision cart, Number Bumper, which is still in CGE guy's hands, and has been dumped and posted for all to enjoy. Apparently it's a finished game.

Anything I don't have I keep and anything I do have I trade (or sell if I can't trade it for a few years.) Actually, as time goes on and space for 1000's of trade items decreases, I'll sell more and more trade stuff.

[Raccoon Lad]

Here's a quandry; what do you do if you manage to find a case of sealed copies of a certain R7+ game, but had to pay retail cost per unit to acquire? (hefty initial investment)

Do you unload them all at once on eBay and watch the value (and possibly rarity) plummet?

Do you slowly sell them one at a time over the course of several years?

Or do you keep them as trade-bait to insure you can trade for just about anything your heart desires?

[Captain Wrong]

Wow, that's a good question. I really don't know.

Is this a *nudge, nidge, wink, wink* hypothetical situation, perhaps? ;)

[Raccoon Lad]

Well, I might be able to acquire such a thing, but it's only wishfull thinking right now.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I'd say a combination of #1 and #3 - both eBay and tradebait.

[benhutchins]

I sadly have to relate this tale... When I first got into collecting video games, I first focused on Odyssey2 because it and NES were the systems I grew up with. Well I was strolling around a flea market in Urbana, Ohio when I stumbled upon a powerlords cartridge for 1 dollar amongst other loose O2 carts. Of course I bought it. I realized it was rare, but had no idea how rare, this was probably 1995. So in a stroke of "genius" I decided to sell it for cash so I could get massive amounts of games for the 2600 to bolster my collection. Hey I was only 17! So i sold it to Wayne Dunphy for 50 dollars and used the measly 50 bucks to buy a bunch of common and uncommon carts for the VCS to get me started there. When I realized the error of my ways a couple years later I called Dunphy up only to find out he had liquidated his collection. Oh and thanks DP for rubbing it in in the 7th edition, with a rarity that states, You'll never find this cart just sitting out unless it's a once in a lifetime find... :(
Oh well, others will follow i'm sure :D

[Sanriostar]

Here's a quandry; what do you do if you manage to find a case of sealed copies of a certain R7+ game, but had to pay retail cost per unit to acquire? (hefty initial investment)

I've had this happen: several cases of Comma-Vid games and Tiger high-holies.
$40 a case, 5 cases.

I bought every single one, and I traded the leftovers for big rares of varying systems. But I could afford back then, if I had the same option today, I'd have to think about it, with a lean toward not getting them.

[ozyr]

I'd take the cartridge and run it through a tree shredder, and laugh as the plastic bits fly through the air!

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooowwwwwwww www!!!!!!

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL













Well, just joking of course. I'd put it with my collection. No brag (I hate doing that), and would not sell it. I would probably take it to trade shows, just to show to those jerks that 'trade only', and then not trade it to them. Ah, revenge....

[Balloon Fight]

If it was something i didnt collect for (ie. colecovision/intellivision) i would trade that sucker for something i need. If it was a proto or something cool i would take it to CGE and show it off at the museum.

As for Raccoonlad's question, i would unload them 1 at a time on ebay, and then keep about 10-15 for trade bait.

[Ed Oscuro]

Unless it was one of my personally banned games, I'd keep it, no matter if it was one of those silly NWC carts (well I'll admit they aren't THAT bad) or something worse.

Now what happens when you're hit by a train and your family's left to auction your stuff off? O_o

[Gigolo]

I got my Swordquest Waterworld at a pawn shop for $1.00. I don't care if i'm destitute, homeless and in bad need of booze...my SW cart will be nestled snugly in the glovebox of the car that i am living in. ;)

[choads]

As usual I walked into gamestop and asked if they had any atari 2600 carts in the back, I got a "check a flea market for crap like that", well I didn't jump over the counter at the 19 yo zit faced punk that made that remark, I kept my cool, and talked to someone else. The guy brings out a box with 9 million pacmans, and space invaders, a copy of miner 2049'er and a NEAR MINT COPY of Out of Control by Avalon Hill. So I spend my six bucks, and go home, man was that day awesome. I haven't found an atari game anywhere local (orlando) since! We do have great selections of NES games at the pawn shops for $2, but it's not atari! 8-)

[NESaholic]

If i found a gold Nintendo World Champ cart i would go home, clean it and give it a nice spot in my collection,ofcourse on a silk bed!! If it was something for another system i would sell it or trade it for some complete nes games.

[joshnickerson]

I would purchase said holy grail, take it home, then call up my friend Joe and brag to him about it while he repeatedly screams "YOU BASTARD!!!" back at me. :D

[DigitalSpace]

NES Gold NWC 90' - Looks like Josh is finally getting an NES! LOL

SNES Donkey Kong Country comp cart - This would be the highlight of my SNES collection, and I'd proudly display it. Same goes for the Starfox Super weekend cart.

Anything else - sell or trade.

[DigitalSpace]

NES Gold NWC 90' - Looks like I'm finally getting an NES! LOL And of course, I'd display this proudly

SNES Donkey Kong Country comp cart - This would be the highlight of my SNES collection, and I'd proudly display it. Same goes for the Starfox Super weekend cart.
Anything else - sell or trade. And while I hope it would never come to that situation, I'd sell the stuff above if I really needed the money.

[DigitalSpace]

^ Damnit, I really do that too much. My bad.

[SegaAges]

for me, it would all depends on the game.

if it was something like sd gundam for virtual boy or mortal kombat 3 for game gear, i would first play it, and then brag to everybody about it. even if it was something like a nwc or air raid or something, it would get sold with the quickness. if i paid 1 for it, i would even possibly trade and just get a buttload more games for it

[tritium]

I'd drink from it and live forevah!!! Muahahaha...

ok, for a holy grail type game...

If its dreamcast I'd keep it, if its anything else, sell it for dreamcast games...

-Tritium

[GamerTheGreek]

dont joke about the gold nintendo champion ship 1990 cart i saw one here for .99 about 3 yrs back when i still hated nintendo. i was looking at that and some atari game. i ended up taking the atari cart. i dont think it was a rare one something like rubiks cube or something. which isnt a high $$ item but . i hated nintendo and i passed on it.

[pixelsnpolygons]

Either sell it or keep it - depending on whether I could use it in a collection. I mean, of course I could use it in a collection - but if the alternative to keeping it would be having the cash to complete other collections I would weigh it in my mind.

[Kamino]

I am between a rock and a hard place on this one. The collector in me would say keep it. Treasure it. But my practical side knows we (my family) are in a financial bind and this would help out a lot. I would probable sell it and regret it for years.

Everyone needs a reason to drink!:P

It depends what rarity it was. Any proto, or anything that relied on bitrot-susceptible EEPROMS, would be hitting ebay, unless it was a virtual boy proto. Anything that was truly solid state would be staying with me, most likely, unless it sucked. Or unless it was Stadium Events; I can get WCTM for 3 bucks and it's the same damn game :hmm:

[Aussie2B]

If it was on a system I own and enjoy, I would probably keep it. Just as others have said, I'd clean it, play it, and store it in a safe place. :) If it was a piece of hardware or an accessory, I'd likely sell. Same goes for a prototype. For the most part I only care about officially released games.

[imanerd0011]

If it was one of super rares on the NES, I would keep it, and brag about it on all the forums I frequent. If it was a rare atari game, I would sell it on ebay, or trade it for the NWC cart or something.

[drwily008]

i hated doing it but when I got my Final Fantasy Orb I sold it. It was incredible owning it but, I just looked at it. However, with my PAC-MAN Jr. 5200 promo it is staying w/me. Certain things I would only part with to get other desirable games. Damn you temptation!!

[Jibbajaba]

Man it would really depend on the particular item. If it was for a system that I don't collect for then I would probably sell it and use the profits to fill some holes in my collection. If it were Air Raid, I would keep it, and put it with the rest of my VCS carts. It had better not go and think it's going to get special treatment. NWC I would keep because I collect for NES. Come to think of it, I;m not sure what I wouldnt keep. Maybe a rare SMS game. Or a 5200 game. Other than that, it would just go on the shelf with it's family. I treat all of my games the same, whether an R1 or an R8. ( I dont have any R9s or R10s)

Chris

[retroman]

i would keep it...its my hobby....

[drwily008]

Jibbajaba said "Come to think of it, I;m not sure what I wouldnt keep. Maybe a rare SMS game. Or a 5200 game. "

Tell you what PM me if you need to get rid of either systems grails. ;) I don't really collect for older atari systems (older than 5200) or rarities on NES. See that's what is great about this site, different tastes gathering, and helping each other out...it brings a tear to my eye. JUST KIDDING

[WanganRunner]

Completely depends on what it is....

Air Raid: I don't even have a VCS, that thing'd be sold in a heartbeat.

Euro Kizuna Encounter: I like the AES (duh), but despite being rare, this game sucks. I'd sell it and keep the $12,500

Gold NWC: I'd play it a couple times, because I hear the combination-style gameplay on these is pretty neat, but I'd probably sell this too. I don't think I'm ever going to go for a complete NES collection.

Divers Dreamcast: Oh hell, I'd KEEP this.

Radiant Silvergun: Keep it

Metal Slug 1: Sell it.

It all depends. For me to keep an extremely valuable rarity rather than take the cash it'd have to meet both of the following criteria:

1.) Be for a system I collect
2.) Be a good game (i.e. radiant silvergun)

[SpasticFuctard]

I'd put it on the mantle next to the little china dog, and when Galahad came by looking for it, I'd have him tip slugs out of a little plastic bag over the back fence.

SF - Obscure?

[SebasC]

I would superglue it to my body!! And Show the entire world!

[SebasC]

I would superglue it to my body!! And Show the entire world!

[SebasC]

Hmmm one to much im sorry :)

[unbroken]

if it was one of my personal grails, i would first brag to everyone about it, then consider selling it. i definetly hold on to it for awhile before selling it, i probably wouldnt even play it, maybe just stare at it for awhile, and tuck it somewhere safe.

[GamerTheGreek]

My 8 bit game that is a one of a kind, i kinda bragged about it too much that people got sick of hearing about it. Plus being younger since Ive never seen another one I said it had to be a prototype and wouldnt get that out of my head didnt help. Now years later I still own it . I have it in a special spot near my other 8 bit games. I fire it up from time to time. I dont see me selling it. Its special cause not too many times you hit a rarity like that. Plus when you find other collectors its fun to show and tell the story ( knowing not to beat a dead horse about it . )

[WispFollower]

I had this happen to me last year. I never knew anything about Colecovision or Atari. I came across an unusually large collection for sale and decided to jump right in. Included systems were nes, snes, 2600, Intellivision, and Colecovision. I bargained as much as I could without insulting anyone and bought as much as I could without completely going broke. I got everything for a great deal, including many rares and even a few super rares such as Wizard of Id's Wiz Math. I had no idea some of the games I got were so sought after until I joined some forums. I have been tempted to sell some items upon learning their values, but I decided to stop thinking about it and just keep them.

[ProjectCamaro]

Simple, I collect games to play not sit and collect dust. I would sell it and use the money to buy several games/consoles that I would enjoy playing.

[skaar]

Sell it, order a 14 topping pizza and make a bigger mortgage payment that month.

[Final Boss]

Donate it to a museum.

My museum.

Or maybe smash it all to pieces, so the world can eventually be free of ludicrously priced collector items that only fuel greed and hoarding mentality.