Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Buy/Sell/Trade - non-retail => Topic started by: Pipercub on October 15, 2003, 09:40:15 am
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Just in case you didn't know: November 15th @ 10:00 AM
Maryland State Fairgrounds
Cow Palace
Baltimore( Timonium ) MD
Telephone (410) 252-0200
I plan to get there about 8:00 ish for the preview. I am sure I could show up later because the first hour or two of that auction last year was gumball and popcorn machines and crappy inkjet printers. But if I didn't I assure you they would start with the machines first. My goal is to get out of there with at least three machines.
They usually have coffee and eats for sale there, anyone want to meet up for coffee before the auction?
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I'm going to be going, I've already cleared it with my wife. I'll meet you for coffee, Although I'll probably bring StarBucks or something..
-PMF
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I would but the Winston-Salem auction is closer to me. The same company runs both auctions, and they start with that junk down here too. It would make sense to be there when they start if you're after working games, as they start on those as soon as they're done with the misc junk. I'm generally more interested in the non working stuff they sell off last, so I'll sleep in and show up later in the day.
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I'm going...it's going to be my first auction ever. I'm kind of excited about it, but I'm not sure if I can get anything. It's a pain living alone on the second floor. :(
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Shirkle,
Welcome to the show. The Baltimore Auction was my first one as well and I went in there with no real clue outside of some 10 year old FAQs. I will be happy to share with you what experience I have. First of all, go ahead and get something. Even if you have to take it apart and carry it up piece by piece it will be worth it.
What to expect. When you arrive there will be a table set up where you need to go and register. You pay a refundable deposit to get your bidders card. You then go onto the floor and the games will be lined up and marked with a number. Make a note of the game numbers you are interested in. Be careful as you select these so that you don't waste your time or attention on something you won't want or get. Last year they had two auctioneers running down the rows so games were being auctioned at the same time. Take a hard look at http://www.basementarcade.com/arcade/auction/a55/Data.html (http://www.basementarcade.com/arcade/auction/a55/Data.html) for a list of what the games sold for at that auction in precious years. You can then build a list of games to bid on and more importantly games to pass on. If I had done just that on my first auction it would have been 100% better.
The auction normally starts with new production Galaga machines and the like that go for high hundreds to a few grand in with a heavy mix of crap. Inkjet printers, popcorn makers, bar trivia machines, slot machines, wooden indians, CD jukes, and all manner of hot dog cookers. The money bags who came for a Galaga will be thinned out here. This part will also last an hour or two. Instead of being a total newbee and sitting in the front row go play some games and savor the flavor of being surrounded by hundreds of classics. After the crapfest ends they start running down the rows. You will see allot of bidding by people who want something, anything, and are bidding on just about everything for the first part of the first row. Then it tends to settle down a bit. The real frustration last year was the tandem auctions so you had to jump between crowds and try to hear the dualing PA systems. There will be some freakin hotties that follow the auctioneer and write up sale tickets, if you are the high bidder on an item collect your sale sheet from them. As soon as you pay for the item at the table you registered at you are free to go load it. You will read allot about the non working games being auctioned off last, at the Baltimore auction last year they had them all mixed in so be aware of that. They power each game up as the auctioneer reaches it so you can see what is up. Watch carefully for games that you saw working or tested yourself that don't work when they try to power them up. I bought one like that and the toadie powering them up for the auctioneer simply didn't know how to turn the game on OR didn't wiat for it to warm up or finish booting.
And best of all, get ready to see a virtual freak show when it comes to people attending the auction. You will see some normal people like yourself but there will be many ones that look like they stepped out of a timewarp. Big thick plastic framed rose tinted glasses, lots and lots of satin jackets with company logos, beligerant old men in power chairs hell bent on running you down, a virtual sea of bad comb overs, and a few hot women with guys who look like they were realeased from prison the night before and slept in a bus station down the road. Bring a camera.
It would make sense to be there when they start if you're after working games, as they start on those as soon as they're done with the misc junk. I'm generally more interested in the non working stuff they sell off last, so I'll sleep in and show up later in the day.
Watch out this year, they may be changing that format. Last year at Baltimore they mixed the working and non working games together, marking the non working with a red X. It seemed to bolster up the prices of the non working ones.
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Yeah, I'm not a 'newbie' to collecting, just to auctions. I actually already own an original Galaga, an original Pacman, and a Galaxian cocktail that I turned into a mame since someone had already converted it (it now looks like an original galaxian, but plays mame games).
Anyways, thanks for the advice. I was wondering, since I just moved to the area, is there anyone else from near Winchester, Virginia on this board?
I hope I can scrounge up some money and get some help carrying anything I buy.
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Watch out this year, they may be changing that format. Last year at Baltimore they mixed the working and non working games together, marking the non working with a red X. It seemed to bolster up the prices of the non working ones.
Actually the last WS auction was back in august, they hold three or four there a year. Two of the games I won wouldn't power up at the auction, one was in the row of working games but the cord was locked up in the cab. The other was in the broken stuff row. Both worked when I got them home. :)
@ shirkle: Be sure to take an extension cord. I figured I'd be the only idiot walking around with one so I didn't last time around. Turns out I was just about the only idiot there without one. ;) The auction company has a fleet of handtrucks and they'll loan you one to get you cab out the door. Getting it up into your truck/trailer is you own problem though. I'd ask to make sure, but down here they'll let you leave your purchases there overnight if you need to go round up a means to get them out of the building. I did just that back in august, and actually bought more games because they were cheap and I knew I could bring a trailer back the next day to haul the stuff home.
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Right on Tailgunner, they are quick to declair a game non working.
At the Baltimore auction they were loading games for you into your truck, and they had ample power that you often did not need a extension cord, but this year it is in a new building so I would bring one.
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I have a deisel flatbed lined up for the auction. It has the capacity to carry about 6 games in addition to the ones I plan on bringing back. If you live on the route between D.C. and Warrenton VA (95 south to 495, 495 to 66, and 66 to 29 to Warrenton) and need transport for your games back from Baltimore I will do it for a flat cost of $50 up to 3 games. This is cheap compared to rental options and covers my fuel costs and the driver's lunch. I would be a crime to waste good space.
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I have a deisel flatbed lined up for the auction. It has the capacity to carry about 6 games in addition to the ones I plan on bringing back. If you live on the route between D.C. and Warrenton VA (95 south to 495, 495 to 66, and 66 to 29 to Warrenton) and need transport for your games back from Baltimore I will do it for a flat cost of $50 up to 3 games. This is cheap compared to rental options and covers my fuel costs and the driver's lunch. I would be a crime to waste good space.
I may just take you up on that offer.
-PMF
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This also will be my Auction I will be attending, outside of E-Bay where I have been buying most of my arcade stuff.
I have a question on the Money thing.
Is it strictly cash only. or do they take Checks, Credit Cards, Pets, Kids, Wives as payment? ;D
Thanks Wes
I'm going...it's going to be my first auction ever. I'm kind of excited about it, but I'm not sure if I can get anything. It's a pain living alone on the second floor. :(
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This also will be my Auction I will be attending, outside of E-Bay where I have been buying most of my arcade stuff.
I have a question on the Money thing.
Is it strictly cash only. or do they take Checks, Credit Cards, Pets, Kids, Wives as payment? ;D
Thanks Wes
They'll take cash and credit cards from individuals. They also take company checks from people in the amusement business.
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I have a deisel flatbed lined up for the auction. It has the capacity to carry about 6 games in addition to the ones I plan on bringing back. If you live on the route between D.C. and Warrenton VA (95 south to 495, 495 to 66, and 66 to 29 to Warrenton) and need transport for your games back from Baltimore I will do it for a flat cost of $50 up to 3 games. This is cheap compared to rental options and covers my fuel costs and the driver's lunch. I would be a crime to waste good space.
Hi Piper,
That sounds great. I live in DC and might want to take you up on that offer depending on what's there. How can I find you at the auction?
Thanks,
Dustin
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Well I guess this would be a good time for us to figure out when we are going to meet up.
I am thinking about 9:00 would be good. They are still wheeling in games during the preview period and this would give time to look before and after. So if that works for everyone then we will meet by the coffee/snack area then. I will be wearing my blue gortex with the Subaru world rally team logo on the front.
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I'll be wearing my white tshirt with an Atari joystick on it that says "Represent".
-PMF
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PMF, where did you get that shirt at? ;D
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At the mall at a store called "Hot Topic" that sells clothes for the metal/goth/industrial/punk crowd. I've also got a tshirt that's black that says "All I ever needed to know in life I learned from video games" with space invaders on it.
-PMF
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I'll be wearing a black Krispy Kreme baseball cap.
And despite my icon, I look nothing like Gwyneth Paltrow -- more of a tall blonde guy.
My real name is Dustin.
See you there!
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Weskm, they do tack on another charge for using a credit card. Just keep that in mind as you decide how to pay.
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So, how was it?
I decided to skip it. No time or extra cashola for new projects right now!
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Apparently everyone else skipped as well, nobody showed at 9:00.
The auction itself was huge, maybe twice as big as last year. The mix was strange though, all the original production Galagas other than one were wrecks. But there were more Space Invaders and Pole Positions than I have seen in one place. There were two super clean Tempests and a Star Wars that you had to see to believe, it went for less than I expected and I regret not jumping on it.
I did manage to take home the best Space Invaders and Moon Patrol present at the auction. I also piced up a so-so Ms Pacman conversion that I am converting back to PacMan.
If you want to see pics, I put up a few on my site, just scroll down to Arcade auction 03:
http://www.subarubrat.com/misc.htm (http://www.subarubrat.com/misc.htm)
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Just so I can kick myself...
How much did the Tempests go for?
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Apparently everyone else skipped as well, nobody showed at 9:00.
The auction itself was huge, maybe twice as big as last year. The mix was strange though, all the original production Galagas other than one were wrecks. But there were more Space Invaders and Pole Positions than I have seen in one place. There were two super clean Tempests and a Star Wars that you had to see to believe, it went for less than I expected and I regret not jumping on it.
I did manage to take home the best Space Invaders and Moon Patrol present at the auction. I also piced up a so-so Ms Pacman conversion that I am converting back to PacMan.
If you want to see pics, I put up a few on my site, just scroll down to Arcade auction 03:
http://www.subarubrat.com/misc.htm (http://www.subarubrat.com/misc.htm)
Hey, I was there with abrannan and my friend Josh, We were looking for you. Did you see that reactor that went for 1100$ ? It was serial #2. I was so tempted to pick up that huge 60" projection TV. It went for 10$.
I've got some pics too, I'll have to post them later.
-PMF