Neo Geo MVS collectors are apparently the worst.

[dpful]

I'm selling off a bunch of my mvs collection on ebay. http://shop.ebay.com/dpful/m.html?_nkw= ... ksid=p4340 (please don't mind the link- i just posted it in the trading station)

--I've sold lots and lots of pcb's on ebay over the years, but not any MVS. It's only been a day, and I've never before recieved so many low ball offers, insults to the originality, "I'll buy the whole stack for 150$ even if there's a few boots in there", or "can I buy it now, buddy" emails, compared to my pcb auctions.

Looking around a little further, I've realized some originals are worth a lot, so I think I'll do some research and take some inside pics so I can highlight those. But I'm aware of the irony that MVS boots are flawless (is that generally so?). I'm only selling them in the first place because I bought a 99 in one cart that is IDENTICAL to my huge stack of single carts.

What do you think? Maybe it's just a larger demographic, so I get these emails?
Comments?

[brentsg]

I wouldn't confuse MVS collectors with people who want some cheap games to play. Based on those pics those are far from collector quality pieces.

Most of the MVS junk on Ebay looks like trash, smells like cigarettes, and has a pretty significant chance of being a bootleg cart. But if someone just wants a game to play, there are some good buys. Anyways those are the people you are conversing with, apparently.

[kernow]

Its the same with any system, I wouldn't personally own a 100-in-1 over seperate carts, but you would, so hey

[dpful]

I'm doing a little more research, (just looking at completed auctions), and I see mvs kits and original carts currently selling for 200+ dollars, but only SOLD for 60$.

It seems like the fine MVS collection scene is niether here nor there-- unlike the cave box collection scene, which seems to put concrete value one the art or bubble wrap or whatever (forgive the cynicism)--

It just seems hard to navigate the MVS scene. I'm going to try and find out which of my carts are original and then get some good picks on ebay and see if I have anything to offer to fine collectors above their "game-ness". I just hope that, thoughout the ebay process, I don't get too much flak from collectors for trying to sell trashy, cigarette smelling, possibly boots. I'd rather just have happy customers. --which brings up the point; are MVS collectors the worst? (I'm already getting a little flak?)

As far as collecting goes, I've gone full circle, starting with love of the games, then on to love of the stuff, then reaching a sort of "critical mass" (of stuff), and then a sort of forced trancendance back to love of the games (while I try to reduce the "stuff"). I've been making mame cabs and selling pcb's, too.

.....it is still painfull to get rid of the stuff, though. .....although I think I do play the games a little more now.

[Specineff]

Well, you just can't expect people to get all giddy about a thrashy, cigarrette-smelling, probably bootleg MVS game VS a mint, complete and original one, can you? (Not a jab. Just stating the facts.)

[kernow]

MVS cart/kit collectors are in no way comparable to CAVE kit collectors.

I can't think of any MVS kit collector who would pay $400 for a cardboard box, or a single flyer for example. it just doesn't happen.

[brentsg]

It just seems hard to navigate the MVS scene. [snip] --which brings up the point; are MVS collectors the worst? (I'm already getting a little flak?)

Well look at the variability in the MVS kits vs the Cave kits. Even just considering the total number of games there's no comparison. And with MVS you get art sets printed in several different languages, boxes and cart labels in different languages, carts produced in various different colors, etc.. There's just a glut of MVS stuff compared to what you need to familiarize yourself with from Cave.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "worst"? You seemed to take a stab at Cave fans for assigning value to piece parts, but you don't seem to like your potential MVS customers either.

I've never considered myself an MVS collector, but I do have a mix of ugly carts and nice kits. Taking a quick peek at your stuff, if I had to guess I'd say that Metal Slug, Garou, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3 are most likely legit. The others are either boots or Japanese carts that someone slapped an English label on. There's really no way to tell for sure with any of them unless you look inside though. But no, there's nothing in that stack for a collector anyways due to the condition.

You just need to identify whether you have boots or legit but well used merchandise. Even if they are "gamer carts", you can't blame someone for wanting a product that isn't a bootleg.

[Joe T.]

Nothing put me off of a collection "scene" more than when I sold three pairs of vintage Air Jordans about a year ago on ebay that I had sitting around for years. I received so many knuckle headed messages asking if I could email them pictures of the shoes at every conceivable angle or if they could "buy it now" at the current highest bid, low ball offers, non paying buyers, and general stupidity that I almost wanted to throw the shoes away out of spite (I really needed money to buy new glasses so that I could see though). Point is, and this is a quote from someone on the Neo Geo board I read once, "If you're dealing in items booger eaters like, prepare to deal with booger eaters". I don't remember who said it but I found it very apt indeed.

[dpful]

Does your avatar say boogism? That's well said. I guess I got a a little scared at first with all the wierd emails, but now I'm a little excited to open up the carts.

Also, no offence intended to collectors (passion is passion), just people who send me dumb emails as if they were collectors.
I think all you (collectors) who have posted "your collection is all scratched up anyways so who gives a crap" are right on the money.

[iatneH]

Going a bit off-topic, but this reminds me of more than one bad craigslist experience I had negotiating sales (if you can call it that) to Chinese people. I'm not trying to be racist as I am a Canadian-born Chinese myself, but I think these immigrants still think it's the same kind of bargaining culture here.

I'll get a phone call, and they will talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk, using up all my pre-paid airtime, in the end just to give an insultingly lowball offer of something like 20% of what my thing is actually worth. Usually my own dialogue goes something like such "Hello? Yes, I am the seller... uh-huh... uh-huh... uh-huh (times x)... No, I won't sell it at that price (and I wish I could say - please don't waste my time), byebye."

In both cases where I got a call like this, the guy said something like "But I can buy some other similar item for x dollars elsewhere". Sometimes I just want to tell them to be my guest and go buy that other thing if it will make them happy. Alas, I must hold my tongue because while I need to be firm, I cannot also be rude.

Negotiating lower offers is expected of craigslist and pretty much every sale I have done has been reduced in price, but by a reasonable amount. This was just insulting. Did they actually think they could get away with it?

I've also had those kinds of e-mails on eBay too, but I just tell everyone the same thing. I listed it as a regular auction (with or without BIN), I play by the rules so if you want it, place a bid like everyone else. If you didn't get it, then someone else wanted it more than you did.

[Warp_Rattler]

OP: This is probably a pretty stupidly obvious suggestion, but have you tried going to Neo-Geo.com and had a look at their general price guide (unless you're already a member there or at least familiar with the place, having an MVS collection and all)? I'm not sure if it's totally up to date, but it could give you some idea of what to ask for, and is probably more accurate than eBay in any case. Also, a quick look through their trading section would probably show you what the going rate for some of the titles is.

I've only got a handful of MVS carts, all of which I have gotten from the infamous Chinese/Canadian eBay seller yaton6262 of Y-Plus Technologies. If he lists the carts as being "original" you can bet they are (vs. the ones listed only as "100% working"), but just about every single one I've bought from him looks like it's been hauled up out of a coal mine. The inside of my KOF '96 cart seriously had little drifts of dust packed up along a few of the ROM chips. The games are the real deal, but Jesus!

iatneH: I never thought "Well, if you can buy it cheaper somewhere else, then please do so" was a terribly rude response at all. I'm not a retail store, I don't price match, and if I'm selling something then I've done the research to the point where I'm pretty sure I'm not overcharging. For the person to suggest that they can find it somewhere else cheaper is a passive-aggressive ploy to try and get me to drop my price. 90% of the time the person is just bullshitting you anyways, at which point it becomes insulting because they obviously assume you're some manner of idiot and is a waste of your time to boot. I think a polite but firm "Okay, go right ahead" can be a good culling mechanism to see who's serious about doing business.

[Elixir]

In both cases where I got a call like this, the guy said something like "But I can buy some other similar item for x dollars elsewhere". Sometimes I just want to tell them to be my guest and go buy that other thing if it will make them happy. Alas, I must hold my tongue because while I need to be firm, I cannot also be rude.

Usually this is a standover tactic to get you to lower your price. In other words, it's usually bullshit. If you tell them to go and buy elsewhere, they'll either end it there or continue trying to barter with you.

[dpful]

Wow! has the bottom fallen out of the MVS market? I just perused the "completed listings" of MVS games, and EVERY game I spent 100$ on a few years ago is worth 50$ now, or less. Every game I spent 30$ on back then sells for 5 or 10$ now! I'm glad I was conservative on my shipping quote on this last ebay batch- I would hate to blow all my profits on cardboard boxes.

I think the same thing is happening with JAMMA stuff too over the last couple of years.
Anyone else notice this?

I feel silly for being so anxious about my sale. These things are worthless!

Anyone wanting to get into the PCB/neo geo scene..... it's very affordable now. Shitty time for me to get out! Makes me more excited for my digital elf to come in the mail so I can be through with it. Maybe I'll loose one framerate for every dollar.

[cools]

There appears to be less of a "collectors" attitude around now. The games people actually put time in to have stayed the same or even risen (a lot).

[Ganelon]

It's been sliding for years now. There's no market for really anything Neo Geo except a couple of complete MVS kits, a couple of NGCD titles, and a few of the rarest AES games. I guess most folks who wanted Neo Geo games already have them and most newer games don't really care about them. I basically bought the few MVS games that I was interested in that hadn't been ported and was quickly done on that platform.

[Ghegs]

I picked a good time to get into the system few months ago, as I've had good luck with the prices. And my MVS "collection" is already complete too, in the sense that I have every game I want for the system. Well, I might pick one or two more up if I spot them at an awesome price, but I'm basically done, yeah.

[Lordstar]

The arcade scene is full of rip off merchants, Piracy and low ball dick heads. Just like the rest of ebay. I sell discount workwear and ive had people bitch about a pair of pants wearing out after 12 months. Now normally i could understand this with somehting but he won them for 2GBP and the P&P was 3GBP. I just ignored him.

[brentsg]

I wouldn't say the bottom fell out of the market. Nice kits and nice carts sold by reputable folks do just fine. Well used carts on Ebay do not. There's just a lot of scruffy looking MVS stuff floating around, and bootlegs too. Most MVS collectors I know stopped messing with Ebay a long time ago.

[Lordstar]

I just hate bidding in the past i set a price and 90% of the time i won the item did not matter if it was clothing or cds or anything now everything is like a fucking war. I come on shmups people have stuff for sale and I haggle a little maybe even trade for games or tee shirts but for the most part i would say 97% of my experience in trading on public forums has been fantastic. only a few hic ups and only one of which left me 'out of pocket'

[jonny5]

ebay is the worst....

[DEL]

Wow! has the bottom fallen out of the MVS market? I just perused the "completed listings" of MVS games, and EVERY game I spent 100$ on a few years ago is worth 50$ now, or less. Every game I spent 30$ on back then sells for 5 or 10$ now!

Like Ganelon says, its been sliding for years now.
I would only expect AES Home carts to fetch prices now, except for ZED BLADE which (I think) is MVS only.

کاپیتان Tomaday نیز تنها MVS ، بنابراین من حدس ارزشمند آن
من آن را به من به شما بگویم که من آن راEven then, AES prices have dropped too.

[Ed Oscuro]

lol, I went AES