Price guide for vintage computers

From: Iggy Drougge <optimus_at_canit.se>
Date: Mon Oct 29 10:28:15 2001

Eric Chomko skrev:

>Ernest wrote:

>> Has anyone considered that creating a price guide might do more harm than
>> good. What do you think that thrift shops (for example) would do if they
>> had a price guide? Jack their prices up to match most likely, on items that
>> they

>Price guides don't buy or see things, people do. If the thift shop or anyone
>else for that matter marks something and nobody buys it, then the guide is
>wrong.
>The guide is just a guide, it's goal is to be accurate not allow you to buy
>things
>cheaply or have someone else sell too high.

I've seen what price guides have done to other markets. They've establisheda
branch of dealers who are in it for the money. I don't like that.

>> might have sold for less if they didn't know better. I guess my point is
>> that having a price guide available online might lead to higher prices. I

>Is that so bad? Don't you want your collection to go up in value?

Why would I want that? It's a collection of old computers, not an investment.

>> was able to buy a valiant turtle robot for a fraction of what it was worth
>> because the seller had no idea of it's value. Every collector has similar
>> stories, and while those things would still happen from time to time, a
>> price guide would certainly reduce the chances -especially with software.
>> If

>So you would rather keep people naive so you can get better deals? Any true
>market has a buy/sell spread. Why would you want to prevent classic computers
>from being a real market?

Why would I want a market? My market is the fleamarket. Classic computers are
junk to most people, and since there is no real financial value in the market
even now, why would anyone desire to artifically induce higher prices?

>> the price guide lists certain things as rare and more valueable, then the
>> seller will likely jack up his asking price. On the other hand, what if the
>> seller had no idea? The chances are better for collectors to get a "good"
>> deal. It's just something to consider.

>One day your collectionwill be sold off, as you can't take it with you. Don't
>you want to get the most from your collection/investment?

I'm not as greedy as some people. If I got my VAX cheaply, so should others.
So I don't try to get as much as possible, only what's a nice price.
Since there is a computer collecting community, what is there to worry about?
If you've paid a nice price, there's no reason why you shouldn't get your
"investment" back when someone else on this list buys it off you, is there?
Price guides and market thinking will just make people greedy, thinking that
they didn't get the best possible deal (is that so bloody important?) and
establish a market for dealers who will get to the surplus shops, fleamarkets,
giveaways and junkyards before us.
I have no financial stake in my collection, it's for fun, not investment.
There are a lot of options in case you're looking for investments, and they
require neither floor space nor electricity.

--
En ligne avec Thor 2.6a.
 SCSI is *NOT* magic.  There are *fundamental technical
 reasons* why it is necessary to sacrifice a young goat
 to your SCSI chain now and then. -- John Woods
Received on Mon Oct 29 2001 - 10:28:15 GMT

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