So as you guys know I've posted my Zelda Proto on eBay. Not so much to sell but to see where the market is.  I will post the message and offers here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....

Edit and apologies

Already your auction has produced comedy gold,,,

I mean comon.

Oh it's only going to get better!

I take it you don't think the market is the amount that you paid Dream for it a few months ago?

Man, this thread IS comedic Gold

Auction removed.

Comon man!

I honestly don't know.  It won't sell and I know that.  What I paid for it is between Dream and I.  I was the one who stepped up.  Now if you're inferring that is the market price I'd beg to differ. I think anyone with any one-of-a-kind items wants to know what the market is like. Traditionally you cannot do that with Protos because of eBay's policies.  I have received a 25K private offer for it which I declined.  Nothing wrong with checking the market...people do it all the time.

I mean, call me crazy, but I assume that Dream is probably one of the most qualified people to speak on value since he's probably bought and sold the most over the years. Protos are pretty niche, I doubt there's an army of anonymous proto buyers on eBay that go under the radar. Proto collectors find Dream, he doesn't need to go find them.

But to each their own, GL with the sale or market check. It's definitely a unique item that is thread worthy.

I should mention I'm close to a deal with the eBayer that offered $10. I countered at $149,999.99

should have it wrapped up shortly...

Maybe the $10 offer wasn't far off. Under the pictures ebay is telling me that if i sold the same thing I could get $12 for it.

Screw that Zelda proto, I'll take that Black Edition GT-R!

Please do, I'm actually looking to sell that. Hey it is even cheaper too!

So did eBay take this down? The link is saying its down for me. Either way good luck Tom!

Still works for me. That was the other part of this eBay has been lax with protos lately which is why I figured test now while I still can.  Check your PM's

I think that Proto is worth well over $100,000. Just looking at what people pay for items that aren't even one-of-a-kind. Not to mention, this is a Zelda game, only one exists, and it is pretty much the first Zelda ever created. It should be worth well over $100,000 in my opinion.

Ok fine. $20.


Just curious though, is there any offer you would accept? Or is it NFS for any price?

C'mon Tom, flippin the GT-R?

Keep posting the offers and messages... I feel like this has epic potential for comedy gold.

Oh I will, don't worry.

Brian - Have an opportunity that means more to more than GT-R, as much as I wanna have sex with it, priorities

RetroDave - Hmmmm I dunno, I wanted to list it for higher but eBay wouldn't let me. The highest offer has been 25K and I didn't think twice about declining it. That's difficult to say until there is an offer that is much higher. Whether that comes or not who knows. Like bone said I know it's a niche item but how could this not be the pinnacle of any collection?

If you are looking to get the most possible for this item then a prototype buyer isn't where you should look. A zelda collector would pay more than a prototype collector. As a prototype it must be price matched against all other known  prototypes that have ever sold in the past. Doing so it would be worth perhaps close to what Dream sold it for.

As a Zelda item it is more of a one of a kind item and would sell for more. How much more?.... who knows but you won't know unless you try. 

Minus, do you think you are being a bit disingenuous with the auction description?

Did you forget that since the Japanese version came out at least a year before it did in the US, that that is why there are no real differences between this "proto" and the finished US version, since the game was already finished? When the FDS version was ported over to the NES, there were few changes made outside of the sound (which of course was different on the FDS). You're really finessing the facts here when you say that this "one prototype that started the launch of a generation of gamers." Super Mario Bros. launched this new generation of gamers you speak of, not The Legend of Zelda, although that did assist. But if you really want to split hairs, this is a "more important item in video game collecting" than what you are offering: http://forums.lostlevels.org/view...

Not intentionally, no.  The No Densetsu FDS is cool yeah.  More important?  hmm I guess in terms of because it's different than the released version? Sure. But it was also dumped and IIRC I don't think anyone knows for sure where the disk is. 

Finessing the facts? It's a fact that Zelda propelled the NES to a whole different level.  Yes SMB was the launch title but Zelda was worlds ahead in terms of depth, graphics and gameplay...

Can I at least get some credit for not calling it the "Holy Grail" of collecting??? How many items have been listed as such in the last 6 months? To each their own but I would take this over the FDS every time. I know others here agree 100% and others don't, to each their own...

Is the NES version "essentaily" identical, or identical at a binary level? Good luck with the sale.

You're reading too much into his description.  It's clear to any serious buyer what exactly is for sale and what significance it holds as far as the history of gaming is concerned.

He states that, in his opinion, this is the most impressive item in video game collecting.  I tend to agree with him.

Retrosauce offered me $100 with this note

"In addition to paying 100 dollars, I will also included your choice of two cheeseburgers, a factory sealed players choice F-zero, or a bag of old tracking numbers (from USPS). Thanks for considering!"

My counter was $149,999.99 with the note:

"What do you think the F-Zero would grade? How many numbers are we talking here?  Cheddar cheese? I need specifics..."