The Best of Ebay

[MarcoP]

Would you refine this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111851003429&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Göran

That was enough to convince me to check my CPUs, how would I know if it is collectable? Any list I can check?

Marco

 

[Grelko]

That was enough to convince me to check my CPUs, how would I know if it is collectable? Any list I can check?

Marco

This is as close as I could get to a list. It's the prices that you can buy the chips at, from the website. http://www.aliexpress.com/price/collectible-electronics_price.html Alot of it seems to come from a japanese electronic store.

This link has prices for vintage computers and retro videogame consoles. http://www.retrogamingcollector.com/Retro-Gaming-Price-Guide.html Prices are in Pounds.

 

[g_axelsson]

Would you refine this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111851003429&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Göran

That was enough to convince me to check my CPUs, how would I know if it is collectable? Any list I can check?

Marco

Sorry, no list. It's the odd and rare things that is collectable. NexGen, early Intel CPU:s (grey and white ceramics 4004, 8008), engineering samples, Transmeta, Weitek math processors, transputer, IBM multichip modules, RapidCad, Overdrive...

On intel CPU:s there is often a code, S-spec, starts often with an S and 4 or 5 more letters and digits. These you can google to try to get a picture of earlier sales. If it starts with a Q or ES it is a prequal or engineering samples and often gives a good price.

Then it is as always, when you have something that two or more collectors wants the price can just run away. This was five times more than I expected. I've seen two earlier sales of this model but with a green heat sink glued on that reached above $100. Maybe this version without heat sink is even rarer. I sold a similar one but with 20/40 speed instead of this one at 33/66 and I got $30 for that.

The main site seems to be http://www.cpu-world.com/ with it's forum. We have both Glory_Cloud and Patnor1011 there, selling CPU:s.

And as always... study, it takes time to learn the market. I've spent a couple of months now but it's paid off. :mrgreen:

Göran

 

[MarcoP]

Thank you for all great details, great coordinates to follow to open my way trough the market. I have a small amount of CPUs to check for quality, S-spec and early sales.

Déjà vu

Marco

 

[glorycloud]

As with processing e-scrap and refining gold, it takes time and effort to prep and sell processors
to collectors. With study, patience and a willingness to both save rarer cpu's from an acid bath
and get a better ROI for your efforts, you can actually have fun doing it.

Be prepared to spend hours straightening the mangled pins on processors, cataloging part numbers,
figuring out fair market value for what you have, taking pictures of what you want to sell, etc.
in order to be effective in this venture. Forget ebay pricing when attempting to sell to collectors
as the majority of buy it now pricing is way "over priced". It's easy to think you're going to get
rich off selling individual chips this way. You won't but you can improve your bottom line.
That didn't stop you from chasing after every speck of gold you saw on a computer board
either now did it until you figured out for yourself that you were chasing after nothing. :lol:

Some will choose to sell and then quickly give up as it isn't as easy as it looks. Then everything
harvested from escrap will go right back again into the bucket or coffee carafe along with the acid
of choice. Either way can be enjoyable. This way is just easier for me now for posterity's sake
of preserving old chips and I am not in an area any longer where I can process and refine for gold safely.

Having said all that, some people want a partner to sell for them just as some want someone
else to refine for them for various reasons. Do your research when looking for a partner in
either endeavor and you may find the answer for your circumstance and opportunities in
refining, collecting and life. 8)

 

[MarcoP]

Thanks glorycloud! Will also keep every line of your post in mind. I have found a way on how to multiply memory modules value, processors are little different but both requires an initial investment of time and patience, but willingness all the way through.

Marco

 

[mister_rf]

... but I'm not sorry for selling it instead of refining it. It was a good day on eBay today.
Göran

It is frequently said that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and nowhere is this statement more accurate than in that eBay auctions. Nice surprise for you, as in my position I was also very surprise by the results of the auction. I have noticed those were relative fresh eBay users, what country the winner is located? 8)

 

[g_axelsson]

It was a buyer from USA, I haven't received any money yet and I'm afraid it wasn't a serious bid.



But if nothing else, I got a good laugh out of it and I still have the CPU. :mrgreen:

Göran

 

[macfixer01]

It was a buyer from USA, I haven't received any money yet and I'm afraid it wasn't a serious bid.



But if nothing else, I got a good laugh out of it and I still have the CPU. :mrgreen:

Göran

I would think you are justified offering it to the second-highest bidder then? Is that still possible on EBay since it doesn't generally show complete user names anymore? It's been years since I went through the trouble of trying to sell anything on EBay.

 

[g_axelsson]

Yeah, I can make a second time offer to the next buyer and I will, but I have to complete the non-paying process first and it takes a few days. As a seller I can see the bidders ID all the time, but eBay have become worse over the years. Just the fact that I can't give a buyer a negative feedback makes the feedback system a bit pointless. eBay have gone from being an electronic flea market into an outlet channel for large companies over the last 15 years.

Göran

 

[FrugalRefiner]

While you can't give a "negative" feedback, you're still free to make whatever comment you like in their "positive" feedback. If anyone is interested in looking at feedback, they'll see your unflattering comment.

Dave

 

[mister_rf]

That’s not an option as long the number one bidder has zero feedback and the second bidder has only one feedback. 8)
IMO I try to give people buying that have zero feedback the benefit of the doubt. I consider if it's a buyer maybe they are sometimes overly enthusiastic about the item or not knowledgeable enough to make an informed bid which overly inflates the price. But on the other hand, maybe those are fake accounts, and you may have a ghost buyer with no intention of purchasing that item. End of the day, you will have to wait one week to file a claim and wait another week to get the Final Value Fee Credit back.

 

[man114]

Someone is going to be disappointed...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/222015597306?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[FrugalRefiner]

You can't blame the seller. In his description he says "This 14k Heavy Gold Electroplated Mens ring" and he started it at $0.99. He's probably just as surprised as anyone.

Dave

 

[man114]

You can't blame the seller. In his description he says "This 14k Heavy Gold Electroplated Mens ring" and he started it at $0.99. He's probably just as surprised as anyone.

Dave

No, definitely not the seller's fault at all. The weird part is several many feedback buyers bid too, and much more than it was worth. They sell them brand new at the antiques mall here for $9.99. I've seen gold plated sterling ones at the thrift stores for $20.

Wonder if people are just seeing "heavy gold" and blindly bidding. Of course I saw some of those bars of "melted pins" go for hundreds this week (which sadly, in this case, are a better deal, you at least get a big brass bar).

As much as I'd like the money too, I'd cancel the auction if it were me selling it, I'm not going to sell someone a rhinestone in base metal for $200+ and feel good about it.

 

[edsikes]

damn thats like the gold filled pocket watch case from a few years back.... someaone paid some ridiculous amount because the guy didnt know what he was describing and the other person didnt know what they were buying, wound up selling for like 530 dollars...

 

[man114]

damn thats like the gold filled pocket watch case from a few years back.... someaone paid some ridiculous amount because the guy didnt know what he was describing and the other person didnt know what they were buying, wound up selling for like 530 dollars...

This one was pretty clear that it was electroplated. I've got another lot of 50g of gold filled necklaces and such in my watch list that's already up to $40 with 15 bids and climbing fast still had quite a bit of time on it. It strictly states gold filled, granted it has more gold than this ring, but I'm curious if this one gets inexplicably bid up too.

Some pocket watch cases I can understand to some degree because they're sometimes confusing to decipher. One local thrift store had one listed st $199 claiming it was 14k when it was just gold filled.

 

[MarcoP]

I've had explained how sellers could reach the desired bid on their items. After a while on eBay, as seller, you can make connection with other sellers and each of them have buyer accounts. Let's say you are selling, I'll bid on your item till the price goes high enough. If I win, I don't pay and positive feedbacks are left.

I've been asked to join this spoiled game and I've reported a couple accounts to eBay support but nothing happened.

So, be aware even when an item have a bidder with hundreds or thousands feedbacks, he will eventually wins if the price is about right for some items, while for other genre of items will go as high as they could.

It is hard to know when it is an honest bid or not, but luckily it is easy enough to know what price I want to pay. I'm not a gambler so if the price goes over my set price I'll leave the table.

Marco

 

[scrappappy]

You can't blame the seller. In his description he says "This 14k Heavy Gold Electroplated Mens ring" and he started it at $0.99. He's probably just as surprised as anyone.

Dave

Sometimes I notice plated items and small amounts of gold going for way over spot around the same time we see a rally in gold. It almost seems like last minute preppers that just want to get in at any price after seeing it gold touted on mainstream media. I also noticed lots of inflated bids from Russia when they were going through their currency crisis about a year ago. I think most people know something isn't right with the world economy but they don't prepare until they have to. Makes you wonder what will happen to the price if this thing really unravels.. but lets just hope that never happens.

 

[man114]

You can't blame the seller. In his description he says "This 14k Heavy Gold Electroplated Mens ring" and he started it at $0.99. He's probably just as surprised as anyone.

Dave

Sometimes I notice plated items and small amounts of gold going for way over spot around the same time we see a rally in gold. It almost seems like last minute preppers that just want to get in at any price after seeing it gold touted on mainstream media. I also noticed lots of inflated bids from Russia when they were going through their currency crisis about a year ago. I think most people know something isn't right with the world economy but they don't prepare until they have to. Makes you wonder what will happen to the price if this thing really unravels.. but lets just hope that never happens.

It doesn't have to unravel entirely, just get shaky in any country and you see these spikes and panic buying.

It makes the people in the right position a lot of money. During the 2008 recession I didn't even have the best job but it was basically layoff proof, I was in college and had no real expenses other than gas, so when Whitehall Jewelers went bankrupt I went to town. I figured out what hadn't been marked up extensively for the sale and literally spent every dime I had coming in. When the prices got right. Gold was all over the board in 2008 but I figured it average 800 an ounce so I was trying to spend half spot. Figuring I could at least immediate get 2/3s at a pawn. I was lucky they had 3 of these stores near me. I literally went there daily. I remember buying bags of 14k wedding bands for $20 a pop and what was better hardly anyone had any money to buy the stuff back then. So I bought tons of gold and easy flip diamond rings.

I ended up making quite a bit of money in the end because I held onto it quite a while because I wasn't desperate for cash. If I could have I would have bought even more looking back.