Selling Unicorns

[Supervisor42]

In preparation for our move to Louisiana in September I have been going thru some of my junk in the attic.
I always seem to have a knack for collecting stuff that would become valuable years later.
About 25 years ago I had over 13 video arcade machines. I kept lots of spare parts.
I sold almost all of the machines off after my wife informed me that someday we would have 'real furniture'.
When I was scrounging for parts in the late 80's I came across a guy that was gutting and re-gaming Star Wars machines. I got a couple of machines to save from the carnage and gathered up armloads of free circuit boards that were headed to the dump.
I liked to keep a spare board-set for everything.
I had 3 of these Star Wars board sets and got in a tight for money about 15 years ago and sold one on Ebay.
They cannot be replicated and if you need one, you are SOL with a large piece of pretty junk staring at you:

Anyway, 15 years ago, after the hair-pulling was over, the board set fetched $965. The buyer was overjoyed.
They really like the "Tested, Warranted" part of the title.
I'll be putting up the other tested, working, sets in the near future. (part of my 'retirement plan'):

Oh yeah, they're tested & working:

 

[squirrelhunter]

Good for you,nothing like planning for the future. Dad was into collecting antique bottles & old coins,he made a lot off of them.

 

[Supervisor42]

Good for you,nothing like planning for the future. Dad was into collecting antique bottles & old coins,he made a lot off of them.

The video board uses a custom chip that Atari had made just for their machines and used it on a few of their models.
They can't be duplicated.
If you have a machine that needs one, you are seriously screwed because they are extinct.
The 137179-001 AVG chip.
Tested they sell for $70 each:

Only 2 left in America.
Guess who has the ability to test them and had the forethought to gather them up years ago?

This lineup does not include the ones in the 2 boardsets that I'm selling.

 

[Fundy]

In preparation for our move to Louisiana in September I have been going thru some of my junk in the attic.
I always seem to have a knack for collecting stuff that would become valuable years later.
About 25 years ago I had over 13 video arcade machines. I kept lots of spare parts.
I sold almost all of the machines off after my wife informed me that someday we would have 'real furniture'.
When I was scrounging for parts in the late 80's I came across a guy that was gutting and re-gaming Star Wars machines. I got a couple of machines to save from the carnage and gathered up armloads of free circuit boards that were headed to the dump.
I liked to keep a spare board-set for everything.
I had 3 of these Star Wars board sets and got in a tight for money about 15 years ago and sold one on Ebay.
They cannot be replicated and if you need one, you are SOL with a large piece of pretty junk staring at you:

Anyway, 15 years ago, after the hair-pulling was over, the board set fetched $965. The buyer was overjoyed.
They really like the "Tested, Warranted" part of the title.
I'll be putting up the other tested, working, sets in the near future. (part of my 'retirement plan'):
View attachment 7576

View attachment 7577
Oh yeah, they're tested & working:
View attachment 7578

What about Pinball Wizard...you know what I mean...

 

[Supervisor42]

What about Pinball Wizard...you know what I mean...

That thing unfortunately will be in my will. I'll own it until I die (there is hope though, I'm a smoker).
It is special.
1975. Most complicated electro-mechanical pinball ever made before they went computer. Horribly addictive and real money-makers for their owners, all of them were worn completely out.

Except one.
And it's worth a

-ton of money:
Here's what he's talking about:

I like the seller's statement above: "You may never see one like this again for sale" <--truth
@Fundy: Giving the Dig-Dug cocktail to the service admin that put up with me for 18 years. She always lusted after it. And she earned it, ~$2000 >$4K.

 

[Supervisor42]

In preparation for our move to Louisiana in September I have been going thru some of my junk in the attic.
I'll be putting up the other tested, working, sets in the near future. (part of my 'retirement plan'):
Oh yeah, they're tested & working:

Well, the first set didn't do badly:

Not too bad for crap that has been hanging in the attic for 28 years.
The runner-up bidder bid $412. He's going to get a shot at the next one.
...and I bet he bids higher than $412.

 

[Supervisor42]

Well, the first set didn't do badly:
Not too bad for crap that has been hanging in the attic for 28 years.
The runner-up bidder bid $412. He's going to get a shot at the next one.
...and I bet he bids higher than $412.

The second set did better because they could tell from my feedback that I actually sell stuff that works:

Maybe I should dig some more in the attic.