rare game needed for collection pops up for sale, but is in awful condition. do you buy it or do you have patience and wait for the next one?

[final fight cd | 187]

Here is a scenario:

You are pursing a game that comes up for sale 1 or 2 time per year.  You just spot one on eBay.  Finally!!  The game is complete, but it is in asshole condition; disc is scratched awfully bad, cart label is peeling, box is sun faded, etc etc.  Whatever the case may be, the condition of all pieces does not fit your minimum condition requirements.  Considering the rarity, the BIN price isn't absurd, but you think it could be better due to condition.  

Do you buy the game to check the box?  It may be a couple years before that eyesore is upgraded.  

OR

Do you have patience and let it go, knowing a better one will eventually pop back up.  But it may be at that absurd price. 

 

I think i let it go 8 times out of 10.  I never bought into the idea of placeholders.  Why buy a game knowing you eventually upgrade it? 

Edited August 22, 2022 by final fight cd

[Gloves | 11,810]

I let it go. I don't check boxes, I collect nice condition CIBs.

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

I would pass. Settling on something with a plan to upgrade later just means even more time committed to the search. When I finally find that grail, I want to be done with it for good.

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

Personally, while I do collect, I also primarily play my stuff versus showing it off to anybody else, so I would pick it up if it was truly as hard to come by as you're describing.  If one in better shape shows up later on for a similar price, sure, I'd likely pick that one up and re-home the original, worse condition copy.  It's nice to have stuff that looks like it could be in a showroom, but at the same time, that can become a detriment as every time you're handling that item, putting it into a system to play, etc., you're adding to the wear and tear on it and making it worse than it was when you got it.  I prefer to pick up something that's not in obviously bad shape but is not so pristine that I, or anyone else, would hesitate to actually pick it up and use it on the regular, hence my answer about adding such a rare item to my collection.

[Tulpa | 3,526]

One or two times per year isn't too bad of a wait. If it was a game that only came up once a decade, then I'd have to think on it.

[RH | 4,935]

43 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

One or two times per year isn't too bad of a wait. If it was a game that only came up once a decade, then I'd have to think on it.

I once heard an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow say, is someone walks in with the Ark of the Covenant, you don’t comment on the nicks and dents on it.
 

I hate it but that’s where I am.  I’ll even pass on an item that pops up every 1-2 years, but something that’s around once every 5 years or less, the more I have to consider.  Since there are some items I’d like to have that might have only 1-2 known copies in existence, I can’t be picky if/when I find one.  That’s a hard pill to swallow.

[DefaultGen | 5,417]

If it shows up 1-2 times a year I definitely let it go. My rare stuff is generally what I’m choosiest with on condition/completeness. If you paying a lot for a game, it’s probably worth paying even more for the right copy. It would have to be exceedingly rare or cheap for me to just throw placeholder money at it.

[Link | 2,715]

I don't tend to chase big money items. So I'd probably let it go. But it's relative. My condition requirements are less in some ways, although I wouldn't abide something unplayable. But my acceptable "good" condition on a cardboard box or manual might be someone else's "fair" or "poor". 

[360collector | 289]

Im passing on it. I dont do placeholders, they are just a daily reminder I need a better copy. I dont expect cardboard boxes to be 10/10 but anything with a disc better be close

[sp1nz | 615]

1 or 2 times a year is too common to settle with high price and dog condition. 1 in 2-5 years or beyond I'd still not jump on it at a near market price, at 0-50% price of a very good condition copy I'll definitely think about picking up a rare game depending on what the damages are; moderate or even heavy sunfade is better than utterly mangled box but if the damage is too severe I might not be interested even with actual rarity and high interest in the product. I'm not really in the market for buying dupes or upgrading copies later down the line anyway, so in general my decisions to purchase are to purchase for life and I'm not overly condition sensitive either.

[Tanooki | 4,943]

I'd not even consider a moment, especially with optical, paying for it at all unless it was not just dumb luck, but also dumb luck listing that went stupid cheap, like 2000s garage sale cheap.  That would be the exception, and then I'd look to put money into a copy that doesn't blow.  I'd be more forgiving on something rugged like a cart.  A decade ago I refused to pay $100 for Gun-Nac, but I was able to snag one with no label for $10 so I did.  And if anyone remembers on NA, I then looked up the art, created a hand drawn with black marker copy of the original art for fun, and slapped it on there.   It was Paul approved if I remember, the peak of the terrible cart collecting days.

[fcgamer | 4,738]

I buy it. I know the question refers to games that show up once or twice a year, but if 90% of the games you are collecting are on this level in terms of rarity, then you need to start lowering your expectations a little, otherwise you miss out on way too many items.

Hell, I'm at the point where if the price is right, I barely even care if it works or not.

[phart010 | 1,708]

6 hours ago, fcgamer said:

Hell, I'm at the point where if the price is right, I barely even care if it works or not.

 

[fcgamer | 4,738]

2 hours ago, phart010 said:

 

I've got so many ways to play SMB anyways...

[AirVillain | 490]

If it was a cart that was beat to shit but still playable (obviously?) I would buy it for the right price. 

[The Count | 529]

I'd buy it and work on upgrading pieces over time. It's difficult for me to even find games I need anymore so I like to buy things when they show up.

[Tanooki | 4,943]

18 hours ago, fcgamer said:

Hell, I'm at the point where if the price is right, I barely even care if it works or not.

I'm on board with that to a degree, but that was even a decade ago back in the NA days.  I remember I think I got it off someone there but when Nina Gaiden Trilogy like other SNES games went foul in 2012 it went from who cares to I want $100-120 for it.  I was offered up a copy for $40 because the label was somewhat damaged as the rear sucked too, but the game worked.  I figured I could pop the back and touch the sticker up best as I could and swap it out if I ever came across another.

10 years on, I still have not come across it again, so I still have it.   I cared, because I could easily read the sticker still and primarily because it worked.  About that same time, that Gun-Nac happened for $10 in that post just before your reply, didn't keep it though as I did upgrade that eventually (wish I still had it, tops of the US shooter pool pretty much.)

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

If it was the last game and it went on sale 1 or 2 times a year... probably wait. 1 or 2 times every 3-5 years... I'd buy it as a place holder. 

[GoldinCo | 3]

I think I'd wait and let it go. 1 to 2 times per year isn't too bad. If it were 1 to 2 times every 10 years then the circumstances may change a bit.