The craziest thing ever on Ebay: a video game auction with a million Euro buy it now price that might actually be worth it. Well, its hard to measure how much something like this is actually worth, a million might be a stretch but its definitely worth way more money than I have.The guy has a full set of Famicom games, both cart and FDS, all CIB! Plus full sets of about 20 other systems all CIB - Super Famicom, Mega Drive, PC Engine, etc etc. I`ve never seen a collection that extensive before. If only I was rich....ah, but its funner to collect these things bit by bit rather than getting them in one shot. Still, massively impressive, I wonder who the seller is...
Cheers to Famicom no Neta for first reporting this!
I saw this as well. Absolutely ridiculous. Must be some French recluse who has been collecting games for years.
ReplyDeleteI will agree with you, though. As cool as this would be to have, part of the fun is collecting them one by one.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteNice blog you have here, and this ebay auction is the exact opposite of what a collector should do IMHO (I mean a collector shouldn't buy all at once).
I've been living in Tokyo for a while (quite a noob still ;^_^) and since I happened to sell my whole retrogame collection a while back (not as big as this one of course!) I now feel in wonderland again.
Maybe the guy noticed that after "collecting it all" the fun is gone, and he's selling everything just to start over? ^__^
Talking about "the experience" of collecting, one thing I would advice to hard core collectors (those that spend around $2000 a year collecting games/JP Toys) is to save the money and make it here once a year, with the money you save on shipping expenses (and lower prices) you almost pay for the trip expenses and get to live the fantastic experience of browsing mountains after mountains of goods in local stores.
It's a try it once and never go back experience! :)
Keep up the excellent blog!
Nate - Yes, insane isn`t it? One by one is the way to go though:)
ReplyDeleteDave - thanks! I think I agree with your advice, a trip to Japan is a must for the collector. I`m ashamed to admit that 12 years after I first arrived in Japan I have yet to make my first pilgrimage to Akihabara. Someday...
Let me know if you do! I still can't find a retrogaming mate here, and I'm always alone when I wander around there! :(
ReplyDeleteLOL, I don`t have one either, though it is kind of better like that when you are in the shops: less competition when you find a bargain on the hunt!
ReplyDeleteHis name and address are at the bottom of the auction(Jean-Baptiste HAEFLINGER), he owns a import gaming store in france called Gemu Otaku.
ReplyDeletePics of the store...
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=39576312&postcount=61
And the sellers Collection: http://www.videogamecollectors.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=6898
And someone just bought it. Grats to the mystery buyer.
Wow, somebody actually got that? I wonder if they paid the full asking price.
ReplyDeleteCrazy nice collection there: Jean-baptiste Haeflinger, my hat is off to you!
A retrogaming loving millionaire, gotta love that :)
ReplyDelete@Sean
You're right about that, it's just that I'm not that picky at the moment, I'm in that sweet initial time frame where you can just pick anything that's ultra cheap and be happy! :)
If I see an expensive game I'll steer clear no matter how good of a bargain it is, but that's just because I miss almost all the games at the moment (and I collect for all systems up to the Sega Saturn with no particular preference), when my collection will grow, I will have to start picking up "rarer" games of course, but I still have a lot of ground to cover :)
Dave - ah I do miss those days, enjoy them while they last:) With the Famicom they lasted until I got up to about 400-500 carts or so. So much fun out there still to be discovered!
ReplyDeleteMan, that's one amazing collection; I wonder if it'll actually get bids, if any.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of collections you totally need to visit that Super Potato in Akiba someday,Sean.
Hehe, I know this guy. It's adol. I've chatted with him a few times. Really nice guy, regardless of what some people on the internet think of him. He also owns a game shop called Game Otaku in France. I've also had to bid against him on Yahoo Japan a few times for some really rare Super Famicom games, lol.
ReplyDeleteKaibun - it is amazing, and somebody has actually bought it! Super Potato is on my `to do before I die` list:)
ReplyDeleteStealthlurker - ah, interesting! I can imagine bidding against a guy with that much stuff must be frustrating, have you ever beat him?
Actually I usually beat him. Maybe he's too spread out to really focus certain things or has many other ways to get games so it's no big whoop to him. Also he has a friend in Japan bidding/receiving for him, so he might not be able to react as quickly. However that does save him the cost of expensive middleman/proxy services.
ReplyDeleteThis just sold! To a Canadian, no less! The shipping on this lot is going to be gargantuan!
ReplyDeleteYeah I saw that, crazy isn`t it? Gives me some national pride to think that such a world class retro game collection will be in my home country:)
ReplyDeleteAnother "bargain"...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-NWC-Nintendo-World-Championships-Gold-competition-NES-game-NearMint-VGA-85-/130743329521?_trksid=p4340.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D555001%26algo%3DPW.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D7%26meid%3D1238912949061003964%26pid%3D100009%26prg%3D1004%26rk%3D1%26#ht_1093wt_1270
Great blog you have sir! Congrats :)