About last Saturdays Super Auction in Mesquite TX...

[dcescott]

There was a large amount of great games there. One to point out was the Asteriods Deluxe cab. It was very mint, sound quality, cab, and playability. It went for 800+!!.
Flack gave me some tips, thankfully. I was bidding on a game and the apparent owner outbidded me to up the price to where he wanted it. Is that legal? It's unethical in my book. I backed out knowing I was played.
Another guy was selling his Budweiser Tapper. When the bidding started he "encouraged" one of the bidders to keep going. It went for 675 plus the commission. I thought they "discouraged" that?

The other thing is they were selling MAME cabs with the emulated games. Something like 39-1 (Galaga, Mr.Do, DK, DKjr. DK3, and so on). They were selling around 1,000 bucks a cab. I thought it was illegal to sell the roms! The owner of the cab was selling his back-ups? He doesn't own the copyright to those games. Someone please enlighten me on this.

Other than that, my wife wants an Arkanoid cab, aka FOOT IN THE DOOR!

[ClubNinja]

This stuff happens all the time. Frankly, I've pretty much given up on arcade auctions partly due to these issues. Not worth the wasted time.

[dcescott]

But it is against the rules right?
I emailed superauctions to cause a fuss.

[Flack]

Is that legal? It's unethical
Yes, and yes.


The other thing is they were selling MAME cabs with the emulated games ... someone please enlighten me on this.
You hit it on the head. They're illegal to sell, although you can see why they all do it. On a game that sells for $1,000, if buyer's premium is 15% ($150) and the seller pays 15% ($150) that's $300 they made off auctioning that game. Plus the guy who made it most likely used an old cab, fixed it up over a weekend and threw a $200 pc in there, so he's making good cash too.

[dcescott]

Nothing we can do?
Nice license plate btw
Too bad the sooners didn't do to well yesterday!

[Darth Sensei]

Are you sure it was the owner? If so, I'd make a scene at the auction in front of everyone.

[dcescott]

Oh yeah, he told me he owned it.

[Arcade Antics]

Are you sure it was the owner? If so, I'd make a scene at the auction in front of everyone.
Why? Won't do anyone any good. It's like "don't feed the trolls." Best thing to do is let them keep their machine and waste the time to cart it back and forth ad infinitum.

[dcescott]

trolls...lol
The owners were standing above the cabs and watching the action. The bald headed guy with his friend who was also bald owned the tapper and a few others me thinks.
People didn't care and channel 8 (abc local) was there taping a segment. So the bids were flying high. So much for laws.

[Flack]

Maybe it was the infamous Mr. Do-Rag.

Read (http://groups.google.ca/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&threadm=XTQca.119218%24S_4.70833%40rwcrnsc53&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26newwindow%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3DXTQca.1192 18%2524S_4.70833%2540rwcrnsc53)

You aren't the first one to feel this pain.

[98PaceCar]

Maybe it was the infamous Mr. Do-Rag.

Read (http://groups.google.ca/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&threadm=XTQca.119218%24S_4.70833%40rwcrnsc53&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26newwindow%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3DXTQca.1192 18%2524S_4.70833%2540rwcrnsc53)

You aren't the first one to feel this pain.

Ummm, Mr. Do-Rag is actually dead now. He passed away early last year if I remember right.

[dcescott]

That's one of the guys. He was fixing the "mame" tabletops while the classics were auctioned off.
I read the whole thing. I agree that this is a good outlet to find some cool games, but not at 500+ unless it's candy mint and shipped to my door! I'll cause some havic at the May27th auction. Bastards!!
I did like the fact that some sold for 50-125 before comission. That's doable.
btw one of the 39-1's is on ebay right now. I should report it .

[dcescott]

My bad, there was a guy in a dorag working on the tabletops. Did they find a son of frankenstien?

[DogP]

Actually... the seller bidding on their own stuff is normal... when they win the auction, that's called a buyback (they still have to pay a fee for that). They almost always do it that way instead of having a reserve.

DogP

[dcescott]

But they say they don't do that. It does make sense and it's a common practice.
As far as law breaking, or bending, has anyone actually busted these guys? crooked to me, but I do like the offbeat stuff for cheap.

[Darth Sensei]

Are you sure it was the owner? If so, I'd make a scene at the auction in front of everyone.
Why? Won't do anyone any good. It's like "don't feed the trolls." Best thing to do is let them keep their machine and waste the time to cart it back and forth ad infinitum.

Well, when I yell at him in front of everyone calling him a dirty thief at least I'll feel better.

[dcescott]

LOL

[Arcade Antics]

Are you sure it was the owner? If so, I'd make a scene at the auction in front of everyone.
Why? Won't do anyone any good. It's like "don't feed the trolls." Best thing to do is let them keep their machine and waste the time to cart it back and forth ad infinitum.

Well, when I yell at him in front of everyone calling him a dirty thief at least I'll feel better.
:D Right out of Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm.

[Sosage]

The general consensus tends to be, “Yes it is illegal. Yes it is immoral. If we stop it, however, we won't have any arcade auctions left”. Although bidding on your own stuff is slimy, I've seen and heard of worse stuff happening (cut cords during preview, someone monkeying with wiring or boards straight stolen out of cabinets after bidding). Just keep your eyes open and your wits about you. Hopefully you can touch base with other collectors at these events (some of my best deals come from just bullshitting with other enthusiasts).

Do Rag is dead?!? The man was a legend.

[Mr. Wardner]

There was a large amount of great games there. One to point out was the Asteriods Deluxe cab. It was very mint, sound quality, cab, and playability. It went for 800+!!.
Flack gave me some tips, thankfully. I was bidding on a game and the apparent owner outbidded me to up the price to where he wanted it. Is that legal? It's unethical in my book. I backed out knowing I was played.
Another guy was selling his Budweiser Tapper. When the bidding started he "encouraged" one of the bidders to keep going. It went for 675 plus the commission. I thought they "discouraged" that?

The other thing is they were selling MAME cabs with the emulated games. Something like 39-1 (Galaga, Mr.Do, DK, DKjr. DK3, and so on). They were selling around 1,000 bucks a cab. I thought it was illegal to sell the roms! The owner of the cab was selling his back-ups? He doesn't own the copyright to those games. Someone please enlighten me on this.

Other than that, my wife wants an Arkanoid cab, aka FOOT IN THE DOOR!

Thanks for the warning...I had no idea these type of shenanigans took place at the arcade auctions. I have one auction that comes near me (Auction Game Sales) so I'll keep this in mind if I go out there.

[dcescott]

They sell 39-1 jammas online at several places I have learned.
It's all about the money I guess. Or the companies just can't go after everyone.
One of the cabs was a 5000-1 and clearly said it was a MAME cab with a PC inside.
Your best bet is to get a cab that needs work or is a non money maker like Bad Dudes or something (I still like that game!). They go for cheap. I passed on Contra for 100 bucks. I should have gotten it. A Mr.Do went for 85, but it was not in an original cab.