• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

The Most Collectible PCs of All Time

Erik, um, isn;t he a rad off on the value of an Imsai 8080?
I mean, please, show me where I can get an Imsai for $500, please?
I'd like, um, maybe 3 at that price?

Maybe a pretty stripped-down machine, but even then, $500?


Tony
 
These articles always bring up a lot of interesting opinions. Gentlemen start your engines.

What would #21 be? (how's that?)
 
Um, that was supposed to say a TAD off...sheesh...

Anyways, yea, I'd say $1K minimume, for an Imsai 8080.
As I said, I'd buy a few at $500/pop


Tony
 
On the other hand, a Commodore 64 for $300 must be in absolute pristine condition, never used and box preferrably stored in perfect conditions. Maybe if you add an array of peripherals. When it comes to the KIM-1, I have understood there is a breakpoint in value between early MOS boards and latter Commodore branded ones.
 
carlsson said:
When it comes to the KIM-1, I have understood there is a breakpoint in value between early MOS boards and latter Commodore branded ones.
Click to expand...

And the early MOS ceramic chip versions versus the later plastic packages.
 
Actually, the model one is getting annoyingly expensive (I still don't have a complete one) but check ebay and it may already be at a point worth selling if you're just holding onto it for value.

- J
 
facattack said:
WHAT? They didn't even mention the Tandy 1000s in the article or in the best of 20 or 25 years? What gives? :(
Click to expand...

Actually, that's not surprising at all. The Tandys were incredibly successful, which means they were ubiquitous. While all vintage computers are uncommon and hard to find nowadays, Tandys are amongst the easiest to find.

The list was based off of dollar value, mostly.

No single top 20 list will be agreed upon by everybody. I think in terms of "computers that changed the face of the business" the Tandy 1000 series was most definitely top 10, since it made a cheap computer available to everyone that you could pick up (and SERVICE) at any Radio Shack, which used to litter the landscape like weeds.
 
Time to sell?

Time to sell?

barythrin said:
Actually, the model one is getting annoyingly expensive (I still don't have a complete one) but check ebay and it may already be at a point worth selling if you're just holding onto it for value.

- J
Click to expand...

Wait; were you referring to the Cray? Damn largest Personal Computer I've never had... ;)
 
woah woah woah.. before people start thinking I have a cray collection no, the Tandy model one is what I was referring to.

How did you get cray out of "model one" anyway? (did some googling to see if that was an early model but didn't find it).
 
No, actually, I'm not holding on to them for value, I'm holding on to them until I get time to fix them all LOL.

I have about 6 L2 16ks, a L1 4K, 4 or 5 E/Is, some disk drives and even a 15 Meg HD primary that could be used on one with the right interface (which I also have the schematics for).

I have SO much stuff to repair that I have to have "Theme Weeks" and just work on anything that falls under that weeks theme LMAO

"Apple Week" is rolling around again soon.....
 
barythrin said:
woah woah woah.. before people start thinking I have a cray collection no, the Tandy model one is what I was referring to.

How did you get cray out of "model one" anyway? (did some googling to see if that was an early model but didn't find it).
Click to expand...

Sorry, barythrin. Just a bit of humor. I'll try my best not to do that again, but can't promise anything. I was partially having fun with the Cray being included in a list of PC's and partially having fun with the idea of someone having a whole collection of "Cray PC's". Especially with the EPA's new Freon regulations. And yes, the connection was the model 1 / -1. My apologies if this caused any undue confusion in your workshop.
 
Hi
I'm not sure if I could come up with a top ten. Some are really
about the same for a collector. If someone asked me, I'm not sure
if a Commodore 64 would be on my list of really collectables.
Things like pdp8's come to mind as well as the Altair and IMSAI's.
N* and Sol-20 are in there as well. Even Poly88 is something that
I'd consider a desired collectable.
There are many more that I could list but coming up with a useful
top 10 list would be difficult. Some of my most treasured computers
might not even be recognized by many.
Dwight
 
I'd kill for a Poly88 (well, someone I didn't like anyways). As for 'collectability', some of the rarest computers are one-off homebrewn systems, which have zero market value.

--T
 
I suppose the Commodore 64 and Apple II were on the list due to how common they are, not for their value. The article said the most collectable computers, not the most valuable which in my opinion are two different things. If collectable means "possible to collect", certainly a relatively common item such as the C64 or even NES is collectable. If the word means "highly worth to collect", it gets more fuzzy. If it means "something you will seek for ages and can't let go once you find it", the C64, Apple II and perhaps TRS-80 don't belong on the list.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top