Denial

I got two new carts in a trade: Mastertype and Spiders of Mars. Both are in pristine shrinkwrap. What's a collector to do? I feel like a nerd, but I am thinking of taking an exacto knife to it because I've never seen such pretty shrinkwrap. I'd really like to look at the carts as they are worth more to me than the boxes... what would you do?

Jeff-20 wrote:I got two new carts in a trade: Mastertype and Spiders of Mars. Both are in pristine shrinkwrap. What's a collector to do? I feel like a nerd, but I am thinking of taking an exacto knife to it because I've never seen such pretty shrinkwrap. I'd really like to look at the carts as they are worth more to me than the boxes... what would you do?

I'm not really a collector, so I would probably just open it an play it like I would have done when I was younger.

If you want to keep the boxes completely intact, just download the games for playing
Spiders of Mars.prg (or Spiders of Mars-6000.prg + Spiders of Mars-a000.prg)
and Mastertype-6000.prg + Mastertype-a000.prg.

I always open shrinked games as a matter of course if I'm keeping them, just to make sure the cart actually works (yes, I've had a couple dead out of the box!). But just the end where I need to open it; I leave the shrink on to protect the box (unless it's shrunk over time and is "squeezing" the box itself).

Have someone ever encountered a shrink-wrapped box that appears too light, and at closer inspection doesn't contain anything? I'm not referring to dubious people re-wrapping an old box with new plastic..

If it's a duplicate from my collection, I'll keep it in the box. Otherwise, I open and play it. I've never encountered a non-working boxed cart. I suppose it is only worth something to me if I play it.

I have three unopened carts, and I only have a duplicate of one of them...

/Anders

i suppose the rom could be converted to disk and played on a real vic with no differencces. but doesn't it bother you to not actually see nor touch the physical cart? .... hey, just to let you know... i am typing all of this with one hand while i shove food into my mouth with the other as i've been doing at this hour all this month. my left hand at that! eid is tomorrow, so i'll be back to my normal lunch break hours and able to type freely again. sorry for rambling; i just enjoyed typing with one hand for a little while... ha... you wouldn't

If it is a complex game which benefits from reading the instructions, you might have to open the box even if the game itself was archived before. That is, unless some clever soul archived the instructions too.. Do you think there is any VIC-20 cartridge game so difficult that you need the instructions sheet to be able to play it somewhat well? I'm uncertain.

Jeff-20 wrote:what would you do?

Open 'em up and play 'em!

Alan wrote:

Jeff-20 wrote:what would you do?

Open 'em up and play 'em!

I agree. I've thought about reacting at all and decided to do so.

I started collecting stamps when I was seven. It was fun. Untill I had to pay more and more money to get the rare ones. One day the thought hit me: "Paying 400 Guldens for just a bit of paper ???" The seller tried to persuate me with the thesis that I also should see it as an investment in the future. I'm glad I didn't listen; stamps are worth nothing nowadays. I lately read an advertisement of someone willing to pay up to 70% percent of the nominal value of unused stamps!

Some 10 years ago I bought a KIM-1 for about 200 Euro's. I bought in a time I actually could use the money for better things but my loving wife granted it for several reasons. And I hardly used it being afraid of breaking it. two years ago I got a an old 6802 SBC computer for free, swapped it for a KIM-1 and sold that for 200 Euro. And now I feel free to use my first KIM-1. If it breaks, pity, but it doesn't bother my conscience anymore.

After buying the KIM I hardly payed anything for a non-PC computer. My top three: 269 Euro's for the C-One, 40 Euro's for a Micro-Professor and 35 Euro for a CBM 8032 and 4032 together. Some computers I own I got by swapping but most rare ones were just given to me. Sounds strange but I gave some rare Commodores away to various guys simply because a) I had already had one, b) had no place to store them and c) they really wanted them. Most of them returned the favour in some way. In one case a guy suprised me some years later with a rare CBM SuperPET.

Regarding the cartridges: if it gives fun to keep them as they are, keep them. If it bothers you that they valuable in the way they are, sell them and buy some second hand ones. Or simply swap them for ones you don't have with a friend. My experiences are that that friend will suprise you some day in return.

OK, I know I was a bit long but my main message is: forget the money aspect, simply have fun!

Fortunately, 70% of the nominal value (1982-83 list price) for most carts today equals what they sell for second hand, at least the more common ones?

of course, anyone who collects as an investment is a fool in my eyes. They'd be better off buying stock in google or ebay. Even if Spiderman #1 is worth four thousand dollars, it took over 40 years to get there. Not very impressive as far as investments go.

Maybe I will open them on my 70th birthday or something I just like the fact that they never have been opened. Not even once plugged in. That there still are vic-20 things that are.... new! When I open them it will be like 1983 all over again...

/Anders

you must get tempted to open them up no?

just a little?

chris

Well, I have put them away so that I can't see them

/Anders