Sealed Copies of Games (Or Anything) going for serious $$$

[Tawmis]

So, the other day - a co-worker and I were talking about a few things - and Lord help me, I have no idea how we landed here - but we started talking about Magic: The Gathering (the card game). To me, it seems the game's popularity has taken a dive. But apparently some of the ultra-rare cards fetch an insane amount of money.

This made me think of the Acquisition Thread - where if you bought an old Sierra game, that was sealed, for an expensive price (say, Mystery House) still sealed in it's package and you paid - let's just say $500. (Even if you would or wouldn't pay that much for the game). Because it WAS sealed, would you ever consider breaking the seal and checking out the game? (Let's assume you're not a millionaire where you could buy another copy easily; just an avid collector who had not yet acquired Mystery House)?

Now, imagine you bought Mystery House for... 40,000? Maybe 100,000? Maybe 200,000?

Would you take it out of the packaging?

The reason I ask - is because while talk about Magic: The Gathering, as I said, I thought the game had gone on a decline. But apparently not the case. And the Ultra-Rare cards, such as "Black Lotus" (don't ask me, I don't know) - sell for over $200,000. No, that's not a comma in the wrong place, or too many 0's. Yes. One card. $200,000. Now, some do go for 45,000 to 75,000 dollars... But... one - card. ONE.

That's more than two standard, normal, cards.

Here's some examples:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Unlimited-Blac ... SwJ71aX-13
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ALPHA-BLACK-LO ... SwrhBZB4JN
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Lotus-Al ... SwZrhaVDED
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Magic- ... SwEFZZgIOc



All of this boiled down to - some of these cards were sealed in "CGC" where they're graded for their condition.

Now, it's easy (if you invest) to be able to fake "Official CGC" grading and seal it in that plastic. And if you never take it out - how can you verify it's authentic and not a counterfeit card?

Same with those expensive "sealed" Sierra games. How can you verify what's inside is actually the game and contents if it's sealed if you don't break the seal and not a counterfeit?

[BBP]

My father had inherited some golden 10 guilder coins he wanted to sell. All in a nice cardboard coin envelope with a window...
Coin value drops dramatically depending on the condition - even one fingerprint would mean the coin loses a chunk of its value, if it was initially bought as Near Minted or Uncirculated.
Several of my father's coins turned out to be forgeries. No-one would've been able to tell them apart from the real coins, unless he'd take them out of the envelope and touched it with his fingers to examine it.

It's pretty much the same with sealed games, probably dozens of other things too. Caveat emptor - and oddly, the person who researches the item is always going to lose money on it. It's a collector's gamble.
Since I don't see the point in keeping stuff shrink-wrapped, I wouldn't buy one, but even IF... as soon as you unwrap it you will lose value. Not worth it at any price.

[Tawmis]

My father had inherited some golden 10 guilder coins he wanted to sell. All in a nice cardboard coin envelope with a window... Coin value drops dramatically depending on the condition - even one fingerprint would mean the coin loses a chunk of its value, if it was initially bought as Near Minted or Uncirculated. Several of my father's coins turned out to be forgeries. No-one would've been able to tell them apart from the real coins, unless he'd take them out of the envelope and touched it with his fingers to examine it.

It's pretty much the same with sealed games, probably dozens of other things too. Caveat emptor - and oddly, the person who researches the item is always going to lose money on it. It's a collector's gamble.
Since I don't see the point in keeping stuff shrink-wrapped, I wouldn't buy one, but even IF... as soon as you unwrap it you will lose value. Not worth it at any price.

First, bummer about your father's collection.

Second, I am of the same mind you are. I ... don't trust people on the internet. Especially with money. I am fine if it's something I can open and verify. But sealed? In a plastic case? I get it, for collection purposes - like you said for the coins - even a finger print, blemish, or it even not printed in the center - it loses it's value. A small crease the corner of a comic can plunge the value from $900 to $300. A small crease. A bent in the spine (easily done with comics) is the same thing. The sad thing is - these days, anytime there's a "big event" in comics - people don't even read it. They immediately CGC grade it and get it sealed, and hope it pays off.

With the money that can easily be made from forgeries - it's too much to hope you're getting the real deal, online. (Even in person it can be extremely difficult, if it's sealed). The few games I did purchase, that were sealed, I opened them, because I wanted the inside contents (maps and such). But I've never spent more than $100 on anything on eBay.