Originally posted by: jonebone
If a sealed SE was $40k +/- $5k before this, it is still probably the same price after this. My point is that value isn't just market value today, it is market value + potential for future appreciation. When you see anything listed at a BIN with markup (like a $72k CIB SE), that seller is trying to price in some of the potential future appreciation into their ask price today. I'm arguing that the future appreciation has been impacted somewhat. Of course it is impossible to quantify, just my opinion.
But confirmed population does matter 100%. That is why many people would ask about a VGA population report before buying a VGA game. If I know a game is rare and I find out there's only 5 VGA copies, I'd be willing to spend more than if there were 20 VGA copies out there. Regardless of the population there will be a market price for the item, but buyer demand is the variable that will fluctuate.
Also, plenty of sealed collectors, possibly some of the same ones in this thread saying that "this case doesn't matter!", are on record as saying they hate Uncirculated stuff. I've seen comments like "I won't buy a U game, because I know there's 5 other copies in a similar grade out there." So in that case, they've admitted that knowing about the case has directly impacted their interest in the item, yet when it is SE, that logic goes out the window. People can believe what they want, I just find the hypocrisy amusing.
I'm in the camp of not wanting games with 'U' but do have some because at that time it was my only option. I think you and I had a discussion about this before. But that's when there are cases and cases coming out of the wood work. N64 titles pulling $125 for a 95grade (perfect Dark, yoshi, Hydro thunder) or SNES (Doom, SSFII) or NES (Friday the 13th etc). If a sealed case of something I really wanted came up that I need for my collection, crappy or rare, I'd buy the case or a copy of the game without hesitation.
