Man Sells Old $5-$10 Atari 2600 Game for $31,600
Some people make their money making video games. Others make it by selling old ones.
We hear about people selling old, rare comic books for huge amounts of money, and now video games have reached that level where collectors are looking for the old rarities.
Last Sunday, a copy of an Atari 2600 game sold for an amazing $31,600 on eBay. The game was Air Raid and it became the thirteenth known copy in existence, and the only one with the complete packaging.
Tanner Sandlin of Austin, Texas, the former owner Air Raid, bought it when he was 11 or 12 years old for between $5 and $10. The funny thing was that he didn't even like the game and it's sat in his garage ever since. Now, decades later, the game was sold for $31,600 on eBay after being starting at just $0.50.
This makes it the second highest price ever paid for a video game, right behind the sealed copy of Stadium Events, which sold earlier this year for $41,300.
Read more about it from Mental Floss.
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I still don't get why someone would pay that much for a game. Sure sure 13 known copies got it. Its rare yada yada. I would rather buy a car.
it would have been hilarious if it was ET
maybe if u r planning to sell it after 10 years for double or triple the price, u wouldn't buy the car. u can't sell a car for that money.
honestly, i'd go for the car :>
I always love seeing news like this but if I ever see Superman 64 selling for more than 100 bucks I will crap bricks.
*Goes into trash can to find outdated games
Most people won't get this and just laugh this off as some level of ignorance to stupidity but to a collector it doesn't have to be the best thing out there it is rarity and condition that counts.
Congratulations to the lucky individual who bought this and even more so with intact packaging.
I always love seeing news like this but if I ever see Superman 64 selling for more than 100 bucks I will crap bricks.
There are probably only 10 of these left in existence. Hulk Smash!
There are some things in life that don't make sense, but still have value.
I can't see spending so much on something that's not new, but I have spent a lot on collectibles that were never used or open. Is it worth it? It is to me, I like having them.
If I were to tell you how many times I was asked what good is it if I don't use it, you wouldn't believe it. But, there's no amount of money I'd sell stuff like a sealed Apple IIe for, or a never used PS/2 Model 50z, or sealed TRS-80 Model 4. Money is easy to get, finding something like this isn't. Why would I want to trade something rare and difficult to get, for something we gain and lose every day?
I'm exaggerating to give a different perspective. But, that's the way a collector thinks.
This is sickening. I had 50+ of these old original atari games up until about 1992-1994. All ended up in the trash.
Rarity often generates value, as shown by the opening comments on comic books. Video games, wooden toys, art, antiques - its all the same. After all, people go nuts and spend fortunes collecting PEZ dispenser. Why? Its because they are free and it makes them happy.
To me buying a car seems like a crazy idea. It burns fossil fuels, has hidden costs such as fuel/maintenance/insurance, and deprives public transportation systems of critical revenue. Too often I hear people talking about a car as an "investment", but most cars usually cost the owner money and are a consumable. What is the deal with low-riders, neon lights, and all those silly after market parts? Makes no sense to me... oh yeah, it makes that person happy, and they are free to do so.
Now, if only my mom's basement hadn't had that sewage backup in the 90s, I'd have a mint in comics, video games, and old tech...
This was a rare game? All my relatives had copies of it, I remember playing it with my uncle and brother in my grandparents family room.
because all of these newer systems use CD/DVD as media they wont get "antique status" like this..
Everyone has their own quirks. More power to the person who can afford to spend 30k on a cartridge. Maybe if they knew I was a really nice guy and liked Air Raid they would fix my car for me.
I wouldn't be surprised if the systems themselves start selling for more than they do. Cartridges from these systems will probably outlast even the current gen of dvd/blueray.
I used to collect old video games myself(mostly Sega stuff). When I decided that I had had enough(~60kg - 4 moving ctns) the only things I actually made good money on was stuff that was given to me(Amiga and Atari 600xl). I ended giving all my sega stuff away(sms + smd + mcd + Game copier + ~250 games)......
because all of these newer systems use CD/DVD as media they wont get "antique status" like this..
Not true. Storage media is always evolving. CDs were eclipsed by DVDs which are in turn been superceeded by BluRay. In the future I suspect we won't use optical disks at all, so consigning CD/DVD/BluRay to the category of "antique". If downloading content becomes the norm, then it'll be very difficult to keep any game for collectible value which is a shame.
I have an extra copy of HL2 Orange Box still unopened which I will be keeping hold of. I already had a copy and got bought it for Christmas one year and never got round to exchanging it.
The price paid for this is amazing but what gets me who in their right mind would pay so much cash for this in the first place.
it would have been hilarious if it was ET
One day, I will find that landfill in New Mexico and I will dig myself some copies. If I'm lucky, Imight find some in playing conditions. Then I will advertise myself as the owner of the most copies of the crappiest game ever made. Ever.
it would have been hilarious if it was ET
lolirl
Why not just use an Emulator?
Apparently people confuse Air Raider (rare) with Air Raiders (not so rare). Read more about it at the following, includes a picture of the cartridge which is pretty interesting:
http://www.atariage.com/software_p [...] abelID=972
One day, I will find that landfill in New Mexico and I will dig myself some copies. If I'm lucky, Imight find some in playing conditions. Then I will advertise myself as the owner of the most copies of the crappiest game ever made. Ever.
Even the new copies weren't in 'playing condition'. Seriously, I actually playing it for about 10 minutes a couple weeks ago and that game makes no sense.
31Gs, for sure he is taking the crack while he biding~
ROMs everywhere mate ~
31Gs, for sure he is taking crack while he biding~
Roms everywhere mate~
But was there MJ in the game packaging?
This is a great story but I have to disagree with the $5-$10 price for the cart. If he bought it new, it would have been $40-$50. Atari games sold for a premimum back in the day.
Did the seller test the game before selling? I bet not.
The buyer could swap the inside of the cartridge with a broken or something else and claim a dispute. Then gets his/her money back and resell it with different eBay userid. Quick cash.
Most people won't get this and just laugh this off as some level of ignorance to stupidity but to a collector it doesn't have to be the best thing out there it is rarity and condition that counts. Congratulations to the lucky individual who bought this and even more so with intact packaging.
You, sir, get a thumbs up from me. A lot of people dont seem to understand this. Just like with old collectable CPU's. A ceramic & gold Intel 4004 will bring thousands on eBay, yet people still go "ZOMGWTF it can't even play Crysis!!"
You, sir, get a thumbs up from me. A lot of people dont seem to understand this. Just like with old collectable CPU's. A ceramic & gold Intel 4004 will bring thousands on eBay, yet people still go "ZOMGWTF it can't even play Crysis!!"
I will just never understand the whole idea of 'collectibles'. I actually worked in the auction industry for 6 years and saw the money people will spend on old comics, movie posters, etc. Sure, it would be kinda cool to have a Storm Trooper costume from New Hope, but spending tens of thousands of dollars on anything that is basically just a conversation piece doesn't make sense to me. Art is the same way.
I will just never understand the whole idea of 'collectibles'. I actually worked in the auction industry for 6 years and saw the money people will spend on old comics, movie posters, etc. Sure, it would be kinda cool to have a Storm Trooper costume from New Hope, but spending tens of thousands of dollars on anything that is basically just a conversation piece doesn't make sense to me. Art is the same way.
I guess it's just how you are. I like nice, new, shiny things too, But it's hard to have a conversation piece that you can go buy at Best Buy tomorrow. Sure, you just bought a giant lcd tv..... and so did millions of other people in the world.
I do love giant lcd tv's though, don't get me wrong.
damn he got lucky. I wish I had anything from then. I know I had stadium events when I was younger. Sadly it was torched when our house caught fire...