Author Topic: Sad arcade story.  (Read 11471 times)

cebulba

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Sad arcade story.
« on: March 02, 2014, 09:11:36 PM »
Hi folks,

after weeks of negotiation I need to reveal a story which made me very sad and angry.

While I traded an arcade cab with a nice Nintendo collector from germany a friend of him asked if he is into the arcade hobby.
Not at all, why you are asking he pointed back.
Well - seemed that girl had a brother...who collected arcade cabinets and his house was "full of these huge machines".
She pointed out that her brother commited suicide and that these machines are still there and if my friend would be interested.

He handed me the details and I offered him the following (as I usually do when these things happen*):
1) I can take a look for her, saying her the prices or stating some information on the games at all.
and/or
2) try to sell these off for her (keeping one or two for myself and paying a fair offer)
3) make an offer on the whole lot if I could afford these at all.

Now she wanted to take pictures while she just could remember the following "he had these huge machines....where you can sit in. I remember some looking like cars and there was that Star Wars cabinet".
Wait. Star Wars cabinet? I got a bit nervous on this.

The cabs were stored at his house and while she hadn't a key she wanted to go home for her parents (seems that the house was next to their parents house).
Her parents didn't let her in - "it's all okay you don't have to look".

I tried to contact her again after a few weeks. It's always a bit difficult talking to persons in the event of death and in addition under these circumstances.
She said that her parents won't let her in, so I took the opportunity to send her some pics from old Ebay auctions or current ones (especially on the Star Wars cabinet).

From the pictures she could remember a Daytona Deluxe Single Unit Sit Down and *oh no* an original 1980 Star Wars Sit Down cabinet.

Yes. A Star Wars sit down. Not only my holy collector grail since I played it on GameOn 2008 in London and Andres nice cabinet at Eurocade.

It was obvious to me if that guy had these 2 cabs - the other 10-15 units are of the same quality.
I offered her 4000 EURs for that Star Wars and while I'm out of money then offered again to sell all other cabinets off.

Well with these prices on her back (e.g. a Dayona DLX should cost 800-1200 EURs normally) she went again to her parents.
And now...they revealed the following:

ALL (!) cabs have been sold to someone from northern germany for the complete price of 500 EURs (that was the offer by that guy). He came with 4 persons and a large trailer to pick everything.

So if someone finds out who this person was...I would be very interested: Just to say him he will never went to heaven for this shameless behaviour picking over someones bones :evil:
It is my decent hope that he will have nightmares every day he falls asleep.  :twisted:

* I sold 10 cabs for a friend of mine who has a hard life with his cancer
* I sold 1000 original games and computer periphals from the 80's for the family of a friend of mine who died at 24 due to cancer

**Note to everybody: I hope your parents/best friends know whom to contact if something happens / in case of such things.

« Last Edit: March 02, 2014, 10:00:21 PM by cebulba »

Tyrem

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2014, 09:28:34 PM »
oh my god... this if a fuckin ripoff. i guess these machines will pop up eventually... and i will be first in line to tell the seller what a great human being he is.
Looking for Dragons Lair 1 or 2, Space Ace, Double Dragon, Robotron and yeah... a Shinobi would be cool, too!

retrocab

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2014, 09:47:12 PM »
hi there

thats makes me angry too ,but those people ar everywhere

sad for those people though.


Tyrem

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2014, 09:57:08 PM »
any idea who that buyer might be?
Looking for Dragons Lair 1 or 2, Space Ace, Double Dragon, Robotron and yeah... a Shinobi would be cool, too!

Superully

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2014, 10:45:17 PM »
a sad stroy indeed, BUT how do you know that the guy who got the cabs knew about your negotiations with the girl? perhaps he heard about the cabs some other way, made his offer to the parents and picked them uo without even realizing you existed!

don't get me wrong, i feel really sorry for you and when you told me about that house the first time around and that there might be a star wars cockpit waiting for you i was ecstatic for you. however, there are some serious collectors out there who are in that hobby without taking part in any form (or forums) at all and those guys just get their cabs "differently". you'll get your star wars cockpit eventually and perhaps for even less than 4000 euros.

once again: i'm sorry that it didn't work out for you!!!
all i need is ... PONG - and a select few others: TOUCH ME, DRAGON'S LAIR, JOUST, ROBOTRON, MR DO, SAN FRANCISCO RUSH THE ROCK!!!

Tyrem

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2014, 10:50:02 PM »
a sad stroy indeed, BUT how do you know that the guy who got the cabs knew about your negotiations with the girl? perhaps he heard about the cabs some other way, made his offer to the parents and picked them uo without even realizing you existed!

don't get me wrong, i feel really sorry for you and when you told me about that house the first time around and that there might be a star wars cockpit waiting for you i was ecstatic for you. however, there are some serious collectors out there who are in that hobby without taking part in any form (or forums) at all and those guys just get their cabs "differently". you'll get your star wars cockpit eventually and perhaps for even less than 4000 euros.

once again: i'm sorry that it didn't work out for you!!!

i don't think he is pissed because he did not buy them. i think he is pissed about this ridiculous offer.
i buy and sell used stuff every day but i try to be fair every time. 500 for a star wars alone would be nothing but a joke.
Looking for Dragons Lair 1 or 2, Space Ace, Double Dragon, Robotron and yeah... a Shinobi would be cool, too!

cebulba

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2014, 10:56:28 PM »

i don't think he is pissed because he did not buy them. i think he is pissed about this ridiculous offer.
i buy and sell used stuff every day but i try to be fair every time. 500 for a star wars alone would be nothing but a joke.

Yes. That's it.
If he would have been a serious collector, he would have offered a fair price.
Everybody loves Bargains (you remember the porn bar/garage  ::) ) but this has been a rip-off. Nothing else.

I doubt these cabs will be again on some marketplaces in the near future.

Superully

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2014, 11:05:43 PM »
who knows how this deal went down, guys. perhaps the parents said "give us 500 and take all that stuff with you." let's face it, for most of the people those huge machines are a waste of space without any nostalgic connection. they have no idea how much people would be willing to pay for them. if i found a garage with old rusted cars, i'd just dump the stuff because cars mean nothing to me - or i'd try to get rid off them as quickly as possible and i'd probably take the first offer just so that those rusting pieces are gone. as i've said, we have no idea what really went on.

once again, i'm not defending anyone, just trying to be reasonable!
all i need is ... PONG - and a select few others: TOUCH ME, DRAGON'S LAIR, JOUST, ROBOTRON, MR DO, SAN FRANCISCO RUSH THE ROCK!!!

Tyrem

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2014, 11:13:42 PM »
who knows how this deal went down, guys. perhaps the parents said "give us 500 and take all that stuff with you." let's face it, for most of the people those huge machines are a waste of space without any nostalgic connection. they have no idea how much people would be willing to pay for them. if i found a garage with old rusted cars, i'd just dump the stuff because cars mean nothing to me - or i'd try to get rid off them as quickly as possible and i'd probably take the first offer just so that those rusting pieces are gone. as i've said, we have no idea what really went on.

once again, i'm not defending anyone, just trying to be reasonable!

i hope you are right, ully. :)
Looking for Dragons Lair 1 or 2, Space Ace, Double Dragon, Robotron and yeah... a Shinobi would be cool, too!

level42

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2014, 11:19:07 PM »
500 for a star wars alone would be nothing but a joke.
Oops......sounds like I bought my SW cockpit for less than a joke.....





Man 4000 euro would even start me doubting......
« Last Edit: March 02, 2014, 11:21:47 PM by Level42 »

Superully

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2014, 11:21:36 PM »
oh, and by the way: i am NOT the buyer and i have no freaking clue who got that stuff :P don't think it will ever be revealed.

there was a guy from northern germany who grabbed that damn cheap EDOT that andré had been after prior to him. never heard anything about it afterwards and an EDOT is something i would rub in everyone's face ;D. perhaps it's the same dude, because the EDOT seller told me the deal and the pickup went down quickly. and before you ask: 500 euros bought the EDOT!!!
all i need is ... PONG - and a select few others: TOUCH ME, DRAGON'S LAIR, JOUST, ROBOTRON, MR DO, SAN FRANCISCO RUSH THE ROCK!!!

Superully

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2014, 11:23:42 PM »
Man 4000 euro would even start me doubting......

how much for your lunar lander? 8)
all i need is ... PONG - and a select few others: TOUCH ME, DRAGON'S LAIR, JOUST, ROBOTRON, MR DO, SAN FRANCISCO RUSH THE ROCK!!!

level42

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2014, 11:26:39 PM »
Yeah....that was another sad story, but the seller was honest about it from the start.....I was second in line.
The second sad thing about it was that as soon the seller told the first candidate that he had another person interested, he didn't know how quickly to buy it....

If I had been able to buy it other people could have enjoyed it at Eurocades too.....what's the freaking fun in not sharing this hobby ?

cebulba

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2014, 11:28:14 PM »
Man 4000 euro would even start me doubting......

how much for your lunar lander? 8)

Wait. That's mine -  I take both Andre :)

P.S.: EDOT? Sorry I'm lame here but that was before my times over here.

level42

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Re: Sad arcade story.
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2014, 11:31:36 PM »
Man 4000 euro would even start me doubting......

how much for your lunar lander? 8)

€3000



 ;D