Out of Control... literally and figuratively

[digitalpress]

This game is REALLY hard to find but once again I'm in amazement at what people will pay on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1385747962

[Mayhem]

Why, how much do you think it's worth?

[CrazyImpmon]

Judging by the BIN, the seller thinks it's worth $400. :lol: But if it was up to me, I wouldn't pay more than a few dollas. That is if I find one at garage sales or on eBay with really low BIN by clueless seller.

[Buyatari]

Sorry guys I have to disagree with this one.
I think the price is reasonable if not a little low.

Prior to ebay 2 copies of this game were sold in newsgroups auctions
One for 201.00 and one for $475.00 at a vg cost of $338.00.

Pretty rare game at a price that was "in the norm" before ebay came along. If you need it I say grab it while you can

This info is courtasy of the Newsgroup Auction database.

This database was compiled by colin.woodbridge@uk.sun.com from over 260 Net auctions dating from 03/95 to 04/98, with over 15,000 seperate final sale prices for over 800 carts.

Its a great reference for those who have never checked it out.
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/5445/Auction.txt

Out Of Control Avalon Hill UR $338.00 0 2 $201.00 $475.00

Adam

[portnoyd]

Still, that's from 1998... prices and people's spending habits change. Some of those prices are way off.....

dave

[Buyatari]

Yeah things HAVE changed since then.

Condor Attack Ultravision $35.00 avg 2 sold

Eli's Ladder Simage UR $251.00 avg 1 sold

Quadrun Atari ER $105.25 avg 4 sold

Video Life Comavid UR $260.00 avg 1 sold

Wish I could get some of these at those prices.

[CPUWIZ]

I disagree with you on that Out of Control cart, it's in pretty bad shape. I would pay $300.00,- for it, not a cent more.

[digitalpress]

I'm not sure on this one. Out of Control is a PAIN IN THE ASS to get, but for some reason almost every "serious" Atari 2600 collector OWNS it. Now how did that happen? Interesting to watch this auction.

[Buyatari]

Its not one you hear much about. So only the serious collectors are looking for it. I didn't take notice how the cart looked but most Avalon Hill games are pretty beat up. Just like the Commavids.

Whats it worth I dunno. I was just saying that people paid those types of prices BEFORE ebay and that in this case eBay is not the cause of the high prices.

Adam

[CPUWIZ]

I'm not sure on this one. Out of Control is a PAIN IN THE ASS to get, but for some reason almost every "serious" Atari 2600 collector OWNS it. Now how did that happen? Interesting to watch this auction.

Nevermind the fact that 824 has 2 of them. :shock:

[choads]

Not to piss anyone off, but I was at a game stop last year and they had some games, mainly like 35 pac mans and so on, but I got these three titles for $1 each... Out of Control (holey crap, when I got home and saw this was a 9 and I almost crapped my pants!!), London Blitz (Not that rare but a friggin bargain!), and Miner 2049er(it was a dollar, I know its not that rare but for $1!) They are in very decent shape as well, since then, they dont carry atari. They laugh at me now when I ask and tell me to go to a flea market. All you find at a flea market is combat and space invaders anyways, but I'm in Florida and most parents made their kids throw that stuff away before they moved here like mine! :roll:

[MrXanthis]

About 2 months ago I was in a junk store and found 40+ atari carts stacked on a shelf in the back with pricing ranging from $1.50 to $4.00(Canadian dollars). I did a quick scan and noticed a few I didnt have. I grabed a PacMan cart and went off to find the manager and complained that the pricing was way out of line and offered to buy all of them for 50 cents each she replied with no we normally sell them one at a time. Ic ontinued to whine and again told her that I would buy ALL of them and she finally folded and sold em to me for 60 cents each.

so off I went to find a basket and filled it up. I left behind a couple super commons and kept the rest.

I spent 23.50 for all of them. After I got home and started to check them off I found 2 carts that blew my mind. Mr Do's Castle (near mint) and Shuttle Orbiter (excellent condition).

I damn near crapped my pants. After I totaled up the value of all combined carts it came out to $232.00US, and I paid $23.50CAN!!

Now thats what I call a SCORE!

Later all

[ianoid]

Disclaimer: No offense to Adam- you're a good friend.

Adam, you overpay alot for stuff.

It's a $250 game, solid. Just because there are 3 guys who jump at paying more, and just because you think $300 is a good deal for it, doesn't make it worth that much. eBay causes price inflation in so many ways, it's not even worth discussing.

I personally would pay $300 forit, but I have held off on it for a number of reasons, saving cash being a primary one. For this cart, condition being another. $400 is too much. Not for 824, because being an inflated price payer, he probably payed nearly that much or more. 824 could turn around and sell his collection and if he was lucky he'd only lose 10%, because he tends to pay rather inflated eBay prices, that only a few select people go for.

And as for DP's comment about every respectable 2600 collector having an Out of Control, unfortunately I don't have it, and it's one of the last 8 North American carts that I need. I haven't been hurrying to get it, just like I didn't hurry to get Music Machine until a nice deal came around. It's out there, and maybe I'll be able to trade for it. I guess I'm not no respectable no more!

[neschampion]

I think i'm a little confused here.

I hear alot of people talking about "over inflated eBay prices" and i'm not sure quite what that means. It has always been my understanding that the value of an item was determined by what someone was willing to pay for it. By that theory I would have to conclude that since eBay is by far the most popular means of liquidating rare video games that it would have to be the basis of any "value" that was placed on a certain game. It is my belief that on the day of this auction and at the moment it ended an Out of Control cart for Atari 2600 in mediocre condition was worth $300 regardless of what any of the "Video Game Experts" have to say about it. Correct me if i'm wrong.

[Buyatari]

Well it sold for $300.00 I think thats a "decent" price.

My main point is that this isn't due to ebay. People paid this price BEFORE ebay. This cart isn't fetching 10 X what it used to. Its fetching pretty much what it got before eBay. Its also a "sleeper" whn it comes to rarity. Most people don't think of this title when asked about the 10 rarest Atari games.

So it sold for $300 and you think its worth $250 thats still the same ballpark.

BTW: I took a look at the cart and it doesn't look too bad. In fact it looks better than the one I own :(

Adam

[ianoid]

eBay doesn't set the standard for prices- which implies future value. It only makes a statement about what two people will pay on eBay right now. If you took the cart off eBay, you probably wouldn't get the same amount.

Appraisals of value are not always based on the maximum amount any person would conceivably pay at any given time- they are based on a reasonable selling price.

A selling price also does not confirm a price paid. There is price rigging, shilling, and non-paying bidders.

eBay is no ultimate resource for prices, sorry. It does show what eBay bidders will pay. And if that's your primary source, then sure, use it as your main resource for prices. I just think that it's an approach frought with confusion, and it's just another way to maximize profits for sellers, if we all took that path.

@Buyatari I agree, OOC is a really tough one, and I DEFINITELY would put it in the top 10 hardest 2600 titles. $300 is not beyond reason- though a little high given the condition. And a $50 difference may be nothing to you, being a super hardcore 2600 collector, but it is a significant difference in what I value the cart at compared with what it sold for- and probably is for most people. But paying $400 for that same loose cart is a bit more of a stretch. Just remember, if you had bid $400, the cart may have sold for $375 instead of $300- and then, just because you had the impulse to purchase, the cart is now worth $375. I don't believe an appraisal of value should be based on that price. I don't believe you could put the cart in your shop for $375 or even $300 and expect to ever have someone walk in and buy it. All this being said, perhaps some day you'll see Ianoid bidding on OOC and winning it for over $300. I'm just not that desperate right now.