> "The same thing has happened to so many other common computers before. It
> is a perceived rarity because many people only collect on auction sites
> and are myopic otherwise. Once the auctions get flooded with the same
> item, then the "rarity" factor is reduced".
Perhaps... On the other hand, there was a lady that dumped a stash of about
50 Intel C8008 processors on EBAY about a year ago. For several months the
price being paid for C8008's on EBAY dropped from $150 to $19.95. Then she
finally ran out of them and the price has since slowly climbed back up and a
few weeks ago,
an Intel C8008 in "like new" condition brought about $150. Speaking of
chip collecting
(which some here tend to frown on), the general trend of higher prices on
EBAY continues. Perhaps it's just my imagination, but the prices being paid
for Altair 8800's and IMSAI 8080's on EBAY also seem to have bottomed and
are going back up again.
I do know that a number of new web sites dedicated to chip collecting has
popped up lately, including one with nice a forum for buying and trading
vintage chips.
In fact, a number of auctions for rare vintage chips ended tonight where
chips
brought over $100.
For example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1773839528
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1773826658
It is strange, but a a alot of people who would not consider buying a
vintage
computer think nothing of buying and collecting vintage microchips. These
people
tend to be younger computer enthusiasts who would not know what to do with
an
Altair 8800 if they had one. They do however appreciate the historical
value
of early microchips, especially processors.
I on the otherhand, keep getting this urge to get a vintage machine simply
for
the challenge of restoring it and making it work. This urge has gotten
especially
intense since I purchased an Altair 8800 Rev. 0 CPU Card because I wanted
the Intel
C8080 CPU that was on it. I keep thinking, "If I just had a machine to put
this card in". However, I am not a hardware guru. My background in is
software and not the kind of software that runs on an Altair 8800 either. I
doubt I would have the technical expertise to make it work.
-- Original Message -----
From: "Sellam Ismail" <foo_at_siconic.com>
To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 7:50 PM
Subject: Re: IBM 5150 brings $910 on EBAY
> On 27 Oct 2002, Jeffrey H. Ingber wrote:
>
> > It is not unusual to find a PC in good condition as they hold up very
> > well. I can put together the same machine (in as good or better
> > condition) in an afternoon after placing a few phone calls. These
> > machines and parts are out there - everywhere. There is nothing special
> > about that PC, and I don't think it's value will appreciate to the
> > stratospheric levels that some other machines have. Or maybe I'm wrong
> > and the tide has turned (as observed in this auction.)
>
> It's temporary. Once more and more IBM PC's start to get drug out of
> closets and garages and put up for auction to reap hundreds of dollars,
> the auction prices will fall.
>
> The same thing has happened to so many other common computers before. It
> is a perceived rarity because many people only collect on auction sites
> and are myopic otherwise. Once the auctions get flooded with the same
> item, then the "rarity" factor is reduced.
>
> Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer
Festival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
> International Man of Intrigue and Danger
http://www.vintage.org
>
> * Old computing resources for business and academia at
www.VintageTech.com *
>
Received on Mon Oct 28 2002 - 21:52:32 GMT