Rarity of boxes only?

[Schenley]

I've got a bunch of N64 boxes, and would like to know if the rarity of boxes only goes in line with the pricing/rarity listed in the Price Guides.

If a game is rare, does it mean that the box is rare too? Are there any boxes that are rarer than the game itself?

[vintagegamecrazy]

Well they obviously don't sell loose boxes without games when they are released, if a game is rare then of course the box is rare too and definitely rarer than the game. Most people don't keep their N64 boxes so prices in the database are listed as the loose cart. If you have the box it's gonna be worth a bit more, most N64 complete games won't jump dramatically in value with boxes (maybe 10-20%) but some will bring the value up considerably, natably Paper Mario, Ogre Battle, New Tetris, and Clayfighter come to mind. What boxes do you have off hand, that will tell you more of what you can expect.

[Vectorman0]

Boxes for some games are much rarer than others, I would say. In most cases, if the game is common, the box will be too. Same goes for something that it rare. And of course, boxes for the popular games that are somewhat common but still sell for alot (harvest moon, mario parties, etc.) are a bit more sought after than others.

However in the case of clayfighter sculptors cut, there seem to be quite a few loose carts, but a very small amount of boxes/manuals. Probably because blockbuster through them out. Take ISS2000 though, and I would say that box is more common relative to to the sculptors ccut box. The ISS game cart, I would say is rarer but it seems be complete much more often.

It can also be just the opposite. Take a game I have found to be really rare, Big Mountain 2000 or Battlezone, and those boxes are probably worth less than boxes for even more common games like Super Mario 64.

[mb7241]

I myself figure the boxes must be at least as rare as the games themselves (considering every N64 game came with a box at retail). I'm left wondering how much a boxed Clayfighter Sculptor's Cut is worth, though...especially after I purchased one a couple weeks back.

[Jumpman Jr.]

In theory, the boxes will be more rare than the game, because (as everybody else said), there can only be so many boxes, as there are games.
However, the value of them, is practically worthless. Even the high-end boxes like Clayfighters 63 1/3 Sculpter's Cut, you could probably only get 7 or 8 bucks for. (I got my complete copy here on DP about a month ago for $15.)
Even more so with the common boxes though. I always here of people buying up big lots of 100 N64 boxes or whatever for like $20. [/i]

[cyberfluxor]

/me loves to find complete Nintendo games! But..
/me rarely finds no complete Nintendo games.
/me decided awhile back that boxes for Nintendo games should be worth quite a bit more, especially when in good shape.

But ummm, ya. I hate to have so many games without boxes, manuals, ect. so they end up stacked on shelves. The best idea that I've ever seen is to get plastic cases that enclose the game and print out a cover sleeve. Although I would say the paper boxes are, or at least should be worth more if authentic.

[Schenley]

But ummm, ya. I hate to have so many games without boxes, manuals, ect. so they end up stacked on shelves. The best idea that I've ever seen is to get plastic cases that enclose the game and print out a cover sleeve. Although I would say the paper boxes are, or at least should be worth more if authentic.That's precisely why I brought up this topic. I have been making covers for all my N64 games - both loose and complete games - and putting them in the plastic cases. I like the look so much, that I decided to use them for even my complete, factory sealed N64 games.

So, I'm trying to decide if I should keep the original boxes, or start selling / trading the collection of boxes that I have now.

[Vectorman0]

I would say keep the boxes. Most of the time I would think that the extra money you would get with a complete games over a loose one, would be way more than that from selling a box/manual alone.

[Hounder]

I don't know how it is with collecting outside of the NES scene but if you add the box to the game then the price can jump tremedously. Hundreds of dollars sometimes.

Example: Stadium events alone cost roughly $600 anymore. Add the box to it and it will most likely soar over a $1,000. Same thing goes with the manual. However, it seems to me that the box brings more value than the manual since most people didn't keep their boxes for the games but merely threw them away.

I just recently spent $365 on an NES box (no game). But the box is one of the rarest out there so it was worth it to me. I've always wished there was a rarity guide on boxes/manuals somewhere. Maybe I'll make a list one of these days......

[8bitnes]

I tend to look at some of the R4/R5 games out there and then ask myself who owned this game. For example, Elmo's Letter Adventure (R5), most likely owned by someone under the age of 10. Therefore, it is safe to assume that a higher percentage of boxes were thrown out than say Nuclear Strike (also R5) because Nuclear Strike is a game for older players.

So, if I were to hoard game boxes, it would be for games that have a high probability of being thrown out (look at DK Jr. Math for NES) as well as games that were really popular such as Goldeneye, Zelda, Mario Kart because the casual player/collector will want a top 20 game library to sit on a shelf in CIB form in about 10 years when he goes back to the N64 for nostalgia.