$14,000 NES on the show "Storage Wars".

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

The important part is that the mistake is corrected on the show, so we don't have the masses thinking their old video game systems are worth thousands. Like how Pawn Stars made people think the Virtual Boy is worth more than it is (although that's not remotely as extreme of an example). Although there was an episode of Storage Wars where they said a boxed SNES was worth $200 and then never another word on it. But who knows, maybe they really could get $200 for it in their shop from some sucker.

I agree, this much attention tends to artificially drive up prices, especially for Nintendo products. I cringe every time I hear about a Stadium Events auction making it into the mainstream news. All of a sudden, everyone on the block thinks their Duck Hunt cartridge is worth more than a car.

[Gameguy]

You lost me when you called Married with Children crappy. o_O

I know it was on for a long time but it was a trash show and I never found the humour to be that funny, just like Two and a Half Men. From what I've seen the acting was good for the main characters but the material they had to work with was terrible.

I did think of another good current show, Blue Bloods.

Maybe they should be familiar with more than one single NES auction, but when you're trying to learn a little about the value of EVERYTHING, it's hard to have more than cursory knowledge of any particular type of item, not unless you specialize in it or have a particular passion for it.

I usually think things are worthless unless I become informed otherwise, I don't assume something is worth big bucks automatically. I know art can be worth millions but that doesn't mean every painting I come across is priceless, most are near worthless. If I thought everything was worth big bucks I would be stuck with a lot of crap, I don't bother unless I know it's worth something. The NES was a mass produced item that sold extremely well, I don't see how anyone can think a popular system would be worth $14,000 today if they buy stuff to resell for a living.

They've moved onto crummy "get rich off of junk lying in the house" shows and apocalypse shows.

I'd like them to make a new show by combining Hoarders with American Pickers. You get to see someone dealing with their crippling emotional problems struggling to let go of some old crap, then as soon as they can let go of something the American Pickers guys come in and offer some cash for the item to cheer them up. It's win-win.

I'm actually a bit bothered by the guys they go to, mostly by the guys who can't let anything go. They have tons of stuff left to rot and rust because it's not stored properly, yet they'd rather hold on to it while it's packed all in barns or just scattered around their property. If you can't take care of something properly you really shouldn't keep it.

I find it funny that the History channel ran out of history stuff to air, even though there are millions of years worth of history to talk about.

[Emperor Megas]

You lost me when you called Married with Children crappy. o_O

And went beyond the point of no return when he said that HORRIBLE corn fest, Big Bang Theory, was good.

[Boltorano]

I've been guilty of watching these shows, and still watch them even after they had Nathan Barnatt buying an overpriced Pac-Man cabinet with a half-assed decal restoration job on Auction Hunters.

One thing does make me seriously annoyed though, and it's not related to video games at all:

I was watching an episode of Pawn Stars last night, and the owner's son buys what is supposedly a vintage Coca-Cola sign, his father comes in and is like "Who bought this?! It's fake!". Then they just have the son come in, apologize, he says they can take it out of his paycheck and the response is "It's okay, lesson learned.".

But they never explained how it was so obviously fake.

How can they just leave us hanging at the end of the episode like that?

[allyourblood]

And went beyond the point of no return when he said that HORRIBLE corn fest, Big Bang Theory, was good.

This is correct.

[Gameguy]

I've watched around 10-20 episodes of Big Bang Theory and compared to everything else that's on, it's decent. There's Dan for Mayor or Hiccups which are unwatchable, I have no idea what other comedy shows are even on besides those(and Two and a Half Men which I previously mentioned). Nothing is anywhere near as good as previous shows like Frasier. There's multiple reality shows like So You Think You Can Dance which I avoid entirely, and that's basically all that's broadcast where I am.

As I've already said, current cartoons are better than any of those and I have to watch those over the internet. I mostly watch older shows anyway.

I forgot but I sometimes watch Flashpoint or Criminal Minds when they're on, if I didn't watch anything at all on TV I'd just be on the computer all the time which I want to avoid.

[VG_Maniac]

I think you've been misinformed.

From wikipedia: "On March 18, 2007 a listing appeared on Myebid.com in which a gold cartridge appeared to have been inadvertently included in a bereavement sale of 24 NES games; according to the auction, a father was selling the possessions of his deceased son. The auction ended at $21,400,[9] though collectors have speculated that neither the listing nor the bids were legitimate.

Could have been a fake auction, but I remember the buzz going on back when it happened and I never heard any official confirmation that it was fake.

[spongerob]

As was explained earlier, they must've heard about the Stadium Events auction. Since it wasn't clear that the value of the auction came from that single game, many people would mistakenly assume that the system was the moneymaker. Maybe they should be familiar with more than one single NES auction, but when you're trying to learn a little about the value of EVERYTHING, it's hard to have more than cursory knowledge of any particular type of item, not unless you specialize in it or have a particular passion for it.

So...he looked quickly at one auction? Man, I wish I could've slacked off like that at my job.

I also confirmed with my GF that they plant things and bid on them later while no one else bids. Her boss hosted some guys who were filming a documentary about storage auctions. They're regulars who have been making the rounds for decades.

Truth is, the most expensive shit sitting in a storage compartment, is the stuff we'll never see. Because if you have the money to own something like that, you usually just have money period. Or are a drug dealer and are just hoping no one's looking when you go into your unit.

[Atarileaf]

And went beyond the point of no return when he said that HORRIBLE corn fest, Big Bang Theory, was good.

BBT is great. Only funny thing on mainstream TV IMO. Married with Children and Two and Half Man, I agree, are utter crap.

[Atarileaf]

There's Dan for Mayor or Hiccups which are unwatchable

Dan is OK, but I don't watch either with any regularity at all. No where near the charm and wit of Corner Gas. Perfect cast and perfect show. Wish it would come back.

[Atarileaf]

Truth is, the most expensive shit sitting in a storage compartment, is the stuff we'll never see. Because if you have the money to own something like that, you usually just have money period. Or are a drug dealer and are just hoping no one's looking when you go into your unit.

That's what I always thought - People with the kind of money to own these things in the first place (such as a recent one with brand new vending machines worth $30,000) aren't just going to let them go because of a few months storage fees.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Thing is though about these shows i dont like (and believe me i love them cause i am a junk collector at heart in terms of trying to preserve history as best as possible).
Is that it inflates prices like crazy

Some guy watches american pickers and finds out say a bicycle on the tv show will go for 500 bucks when in real world buisness setting its probably more like 300-350 and people won't budge cause they just saw on american pickers this item go for this price so theres no way they will budge.

probably the best quote for this thread is from one of my favorite show men

"There's a sucker born every minute" - P.T Barnum

See, that's interesting because even though all of these shows operate under inflated estimated pricing I always feel like they work really hard to show the viewer how effective the art of low-balling can be.

If anything I think that these shows are showing viewers how ineffective it is to over-price an estimate and that it's not a bad thing to settle for less than what you think something is worth.

[thahurricanegame]

I'd say it's better celebrating frugality and turning junk into treasure than a show about obnoxious, vain rich kids who do nothing but tan, party, fight, and fuck.

This guy knows what he's talking about.

[thahurricanegame]

Did anyone see the American Pickers episode where they were in a barn or shed and right on top of the shit they were going through was an old school Nintendo sign?

Not sure what those Nintendo signs are worth, if anything, but it was funny they didn't even acknowledge the damn thing sitting in front of them as they were going through stuff.

I thought for sure the focus was going to be on the Nintendo sign since the camera was dead center on it..

[Atarileaf]

Did anyone see the American Pickers episode where they were in a barn or shed and right on top of the shit they were going through was an old school Nintendo sign?

Not sure what those Nintendo signs are worth, if anything, but it was funny they didn't even acknowledge the damn thing sitting in front of them as they were going through stuff.

I thought for sure the focus was going to be on the Nintendo sign since the camera was dead center on it..

They've acknowledged prevously that video games aren't really their thing. They were in one guys house in an episode last year that had all kinds of old 70's and 80's toys including video games. One was a Vectrex and I also remember seeing a boxed Tomy Atomic Arcade Pinball. (I've got one, love it) They said someone would love that stuff but it wasn't their thing. If it isn't 100 years old and rusted to hell they don't care.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

They've acknowledged prevously that video games aren't really their thing. They were in one guys house in an episode last year that had all kinds of old 70's and 80's toys including video games. One was a Vectrex and I also remember seeing a boxed Tomy Atomic Arcade Pinball. (I've got one, love it) They said someone would love that stuff but it wasn't their thing. If it isn't 100 years old and rusted to hell they don't care.

AFAIK They bought a Kiss pinball once (which seems to be the go-to standard buy a classic pinball table pinball)...

and on one episode Frank did buy a cocktail table style pinball machine with a 1960's country singer license/theme. Can't remember of who, not Conway Twitty but somebody ... aesthetically similar.

[Stringfellow]

That's what I always thought - People with the kind of money to own these things in the first place (such as a recent one with brand new vending machines worth $30,000) aren't just going to let them go because of a few months storage fees.

I seem to remember Paris Hilton losing a storage unit and the person who won the contents at auction put it on his now shut down web site.

[Emperor Megas]

BBT is great. Only funny thing on mainstream TV IMO.

You must be extremely corny, or extremely nerdy. There's nothing wrong with the latter, IMO (either really, to each his/her own). I'm a bit of a geek myself, but BBT is SO fucking cornball hokey that I can barely go into GameStop anymore, or stay more than 5 minutes or so, tops, if I do (they have it playing on the monitors and the store speakers).

I've NEVER heard a television show abuse and laugh track more than BBT does. It's just fucking AWFUL. The only thing that comes close were those episodes of The Flintstones where there's a laugh track which borders on the surreal, considering there's no studio audience in an animated feature. I know that there aren't live audiences on (m)any live series either anymore, but laugh tracks are a little less in your face on a live show.

Everything about BBT absolutely SCREAMS: "LOOK, WE'RE BEING NERDY!! YOU'RE A NERD TOO, YOU CAN RELATE! LOOK, WE'RE MENTIONING VIDEO GAMES AND COMPUTERS, AND BEING GEEKY! LAUGH! LAUGH! WE'RE SAYING THINGS THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO! THIS IS AN UNDERDOG SHOW, LIKE GLEE, ONLY THERE'S NO SINGING! IF YOU WATCH THIS YOU CAN BE A PART OF GEEKS BEING ACCEPTED, AND SEEN, AND RELEVANT, AND COUNTED! HELP GIVE US RATINGS, BE A PART OF THE MACHINE THAT DRIVES THIS SERIES! DON'T_LET_THE_DREAM_DIE!"

The show is just God awful.

Married with Children and Two and Half Man, I agree, are utter crap.

I never watched Two and a Half Men, but the fact that 'Ducky' from Pretty in Pink stars in it is reason enough for me to avoid it. Married' on the other hand was first rate camp. It was SUPPOSED to be terrible, where as BBT actually attempts to take itself seriously. Did I mention it's horrible?

[Snapple]

Boy, some of you guys are pissy.

Obviously the guy from Storage Wars goofed on the NES, but my God. Overreact much.

[Aussie2B]

So...he looked quickly at one auction? Man, I wish I could've slacked off like that at my job.

Again, you're failing to look at this from a viewpoint other than that of the game collecting community's perspective. When you deal in buying and selling virtually ANYTHING, do you honestly think it's reasonable for a single person to do extensive research on EVERY item in existence? It's just impossible, so how is it slacking off? The fact that he knew about the auction shows that he knows at least a little about games, which is better than if he said "I don't know what the heck this is." It was foolish of him to assume he had hit the jackpot (although that excitement could've been for the sake of the show), but making a mistake itself is perfect understandable. You never make any mistakes in your job? I bet you do, and I also bet your job is way more targeted too. That's why these people go to experts on specific subjects. Their business is in attempting to make educated guesses, and sometimes they're not educated enough to make a good guess. That's just expected. Even with our passion for games, I'm sure most of us have bought something because we thought that we heard it was really valuable or rare or something only to learn otherwise when we got home.