HELP!! Should I Sell My Old Carts & Systems...or Not??

[phantomfriar]

Hey guys,
I've been reading this board for years, posting only infrequently, but would love to get some input on this.

Right now I'm debating "moving" my old collection of game systems, carts, etc., and I'm torn if I ought to do this or not....and also, if I do it, HOW I should proceed.

From what I've read in the DP Rarity Guide I don't have too many "rare" carts (I think Sega's Tapper & Up N Down were pretty much it for the 2600 at least), but I do have ALL the manuals (hundreds of them; most pristine) for my 2600, Intellivision, NES, SNES games, etc. The boxes are gone and the games likely all need to be cleaned, but I took great care of my cartridges and systems and I would think they all work fine...they've been well taken care of (being an only child helped!!).

I'm debating two things:

1. Am I losing a piece of history by selling these things? I had my Xbox modded so I've essentially got all the games and systems emulated on a box that can sit right in my "entertainment center," yet there's an emotional aspect there that I can feel as well.

2. What would be the most valuable elements (i.e. the whole lot, or just the games, or just the manuals, etc.) if I DO move my collection? Granted I know you haven't seen what I have, but in GENERAL, would selling a lot be the best idea...or just moving the games & manuals individually? (Or does it all depend on WHAT the game happens to be?).

From what I've read on various eBay auctions it almost appears as if the manuals (moving them in a lot) would get a decent price, so maybe it would make sense to move them individually -- or at least in a lot.

I'd like to hear thoughts from fellow DP'ers who might have gone through the same thing. It's just that I'm getting married next year and will be moving -- and I'm trying to get ready for all the mania! I don't plan on giving up gaming at all (hopefully not -- my fiancee, thank god, will even play a game here or there), but moving "the old stuff" seems to be a question I need to at least tackle right now.

Any comments would be appreciated

cheers,
Phantomfriar

[two_scoop_steve]

If I was you I would keep my collection cause later down the road your going to want it again and going have a hard time tracking the stuff down again. When I younger I sold my Snes and about 30 Games (Secret of Mana, Earthbound, FF2 and 3 etc.) To get a N64 Supermario 64 and Waverace. I wish I kept all of those games cause I'm having a hard to finding the games again. So I say you should keep all of your games, You never no when you will play them again.

[Griking]

The answer is different for each person. If you are a game collector by heart and not just a gamer then you'll probably regret selling them some time down the road. If you're really just a gamer and not a collector and you can't justify all of the room that they take up then go ahead and sell them. I think the decision is a little easier to make if you don't have anything particularly rare or valuable.

[Sinistral]

I'd say don't sell them, but that’s just me, I guess its up to you and where your at in your life, if your able to leave all this stuff behind without wishing you had it back then go ahead and make a few bucks while pleasing the missus.

But since you’re even here asking about it I'm guessing you don't really want to get rid of this stuff at all. Feel pressurised into it maybe?

[phantomfriar]

But since you’re even here asking about it I'm guessing you don't really want to get rid of this stuff at all. Feel pressurised into it maybe?

Sinistral, I wouldn't say I feel pressured -- it's more like I'm trying to balance being practical with holding onto some nostalgia...and possibly trying to get something for what I have. I don't use the old systems anymore -- I end up playing the emulators if I need a quick fix of the 2600, etc. -- so they're basically gathering dust.

But on the other hand, yeah, I admit it, I feel like -- I'm not sure I want to part with some of this stuff because I've had it for so long!!

Guess I'm just trying to figure out if there's a happy medium, and ask collectors, if I DO get rid of SOME of it, what in particular would be worthwhile to part with (i.e. the manuals, etc.).

[Sylentwulf]

I don't think you're really going to have anyone say that you SHOULD sell them. Not on a videogame collecting website :P

I have my collection, and my emultation separate. I play more atari, N64 and SNES on my MAME machine than I do on the console I have downstairs, and I play FAR more nes games on my ds than on the original console. But I still love my collection, and have no plans on getting rid of it.

[Damaramu]

I've been toying with the idea of selling my NES collection. I never owned one growing up and it doesn't have the nostalgia factor that systems like the TG-16 or Genesis do.

I've got lots of cool stuff for the NES, which is a toploader that I picked up for $.99, with the box and accesories. The only thing missing was the pack in manuals.

I've got a few popular games that are complete with boxes that are in immaculate condition, blah blah blah.

I'm leaning towards keeping it though. I know that down the road, I'm would have regret selling the NES collection as it would be difficult to find some of those games.

So for now, it all sits in my closet (dubbed The Vault by my friends).

[CartCollector]

Please, please don't sell them.
Donate them to the CartCollector Museum of Video Game History!

[TougherToast]

I’ve had this same debate with myself on several occasions. It always starts with money, if I sold my collection I could pay some bills off. I always come to the same conclusion. If I sold my collection I would just end up buying it all back again but this time it would end up costing me more money. So my suggestion to you is that if there is a chance that you will want to get into it again than don’t do it.

[briskbc]

skip to the bottom for the short version. And please don't read this as my own personal pity party. It is a decision based on logic and not seniment.

I am also going through this right now. I have decided on selling for most stuff I don't play. After having to sell my collection a few times over due to financial reasons I've lost the desire to collect. I should say I've lost the desire to accumulate. I've become a gamer (which I always was). So I am now parting out the stuff worth money that I only bought becuase it was rare or in demand.

The reason for this is two fold. As stated earlier we had financial problems but we are now at the point where we have a little bit of money left over at the end of the month for bills. There becomes the problem of housing. We live i the Okanagan (in British Columbia) which is experiencing a housing boom as are most areas in North America. The porblem is I don't think it decline as quickly as some areas will when that bubble finally bursts. This is becuase the Okanagan is a retirement haven and a tourist resort all rolled into one. This means housing will continue to raise as the boomers from the Greater Vancouver Area retire and sell their homes for $500,000.00 and move here to buy the same sized home for $325,00.00.

All of this is happening while I'm saving up a down payment for my first house. Prices are going up 15% a year. I'm screwed so I need a new form of income. So I'm selling the games to create a pool of funds I can use to as a way to buy more things to sell on..... you guessed it.. eBay. The whole thing leavea a bad taste in my mouth but so does renting at the age of 33.


SHORT VERSION

I need money for a down payment on a house in a hot real estate market. So I'm selling games I bought that I never play and I'm using them to create a fund to purchase more items to sell later at higher prices.

Recommendation: The decision is yours but if you make it based on logic rather than sentiment then you will understand the right thing to do even if you do regret it a bit.