Estimated Price Of A "Classic" PDP-8?

From: Teo Zenios <teoz_at_neo.rr.com>
Date: Mon Jan 26 13:18:24 2004

----- Original Message -----
From: "Vintage Computer Festival" <vcf_at_siconic.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 1:13 PM
Subject: Re: Estimated Price Of A "Classic" PDP-8?


> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004, Ethan Dicks wrote:
>
> > On Sun, Jan 25, 2004 at 08:58:10PM -0800, Jim Davis wrote:
> > > $3000 for an "8/S"?!?!, you have to be kidding? Did it include a lot
of
> > > equipment?
> >
> > When I asked Sellam about one that went for $1700 a couple of years ago,
> > he thought that was a fair price.
>
> That was a couple of years ago ;)
>
> Over the years, I've noticed (and as would be expected or at least hoped)
> that collectors, as we are, have refined our tastes and are valuing higher
> the computers that deserve to be valued higher, also as a function of time
> passed. So earlier minis like the PDP-8 (of all models, but especially
> the earlier or rarer ones) are steadily increasing in value. $3,000 for a
> very nice 8/s (as was the one that sold on eBay a short while back) is a
> reasonable price.
>
> --
>
> Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer
Festival

So basically instead of going by supply and demand your saying that because
an item means more to you today it should be worth a few times more then
what it sold for a few years ago?
I don't understand that logic. By saying something is more deserving and
having more refined tastes over time just means an item is worth more to you
for reasons other then market conditions.

An apple I is worth what it is because of its rarity, significance in the
industry, and because there are allot of loyal apple users who are
collectors. If apple died in 1990 and its loyal user base switched to Linux
the value of the apple I would drop quite a bit because demand would also
drop. Demand for anything collectible changes with tastes, availability,
financial standing of the collectors interested in the item, and condition.
What an item deserves to have as a value just isn't factored in.
Received on Mon Jan 26 2004 - 13:18:24 GMT