Collector Confessions

[techwizard]

In the process of cleaning my N64 games today I've come across many that i had "cleaned" in the past using methods that I regret now that I'm more knowledgeable about what I'm doing. This made me think it would be fun to hear about any confessions from members about things you've done as a collector that you either regret later or you think other people might cringe to hear.

For myself, it's using metal polish to clean cartridge contacts. It entirely removed the gold coloured protective layer, so I'm coming across many N64 carts with silver contacts...luckily nothing expensive to replace yet. Now the strongest thing I use is a few swipes of 70% rubbing alcohol on a cloth.

[ScottyDont00]

My dad tossed cases and manuals for all my N64 games and Genesis games because he didn't like them taking up space neatly stacked in a box in the closet...

Had all 3 Mario party's, both Zelda's, conkers bad fur day, Paper Mario, Mario 64, Mario kart, Goldeneye, perfect dark zero, and  more then a few handfuls of common genesis cases w/manuals...

I showed him how much some of the CIB 64 for games can go for in auctions on eBay and made a bill up for him with the average selling prices to drive home the pain I still feel thinking about it....

[mumboking]

The closest thing might be when I swapped the case on my PS2 copy of Burnout 3 (I even transferred the PSW 10/10 rating sticker) but didn't know about the different SONY sticker locations. I don't know where the original case is now... or how I'd move that sticker again without wrecking it.

the gold coloured protective layer

I believe that's actually gold plating.

My dad tossed cases and manuals for all my N64 games and Genesis games

[techwizard]

My dad tossed cases and manuals for all my N64 games and Genesis games because he didn't like them taking up space neatly stacked in a box in the closet...

Had all 3 Mario party's, both Zelda's, conkers bad fur day, Paper Mario, Mario 64, Mario kart, Goldeneye, perfect dark zero, and  more then a few handfuls of common genesis cases w/manuals...

I showed him how much some of the CIB 64 for games can go for in auctions on eBay and made a bill up for him with the average selling prices to drive home the pain I still feel thinking about it....

we usually held onto cases and manuals, but what my dad did because we didn't have a lot of money is sell off the old games if we picked up a new console. we got a gamecube at some point and within a few weeks after that we would come home from school and our N64 had disappeared.

[Ikariniku]

In my pre-collector days, I threw away those clunky, chunky 2600 wireless remotes assuming that they wouldn't work.  Years later, the AVGN would prove my assumption wrong, leaving me  with bitter regrets.

[Duke.Togo]

I brought home a huge bag full of flyers from CES 1992, and they got lost somewhere along the way. Really wish I could go back in time and grab those.

[bombatomba]

Back in 2003 I came across a clutch of Conker Bad Fur Day brand new at a Meijer store for $5 each.  In my own stupidity I only bought one.  The worst part is that they stayed there for quite a while and I saw them nearly every time I went to buy groceries or something.  About two years later the same thing but copies of Document of Metal Gear Solid 2, but I did the same as I did with Conker (bought one for $5 and ignored the rest).  I still think about that stash every now and then.

[techwizard]

Back in 2003 I came across a clutch of Conker Bad Fur Day brand new at a Meijer store for $5 each.  In my own stupidity I only bought one.  The worst part is that they stayed there for quite a while and I saw them nearly every time I went to buy groceries or something.  About two years later the same thing but copies of Document of Metal Gear Solid 2, but I did the same as I did with Conker (bought one for $5 and ignored the rest).  I still think about that stash every now and then.

hindsight is 20/20, no real way to know what the market was going to do at that point. just think, the exact same thing could be happening every moment you go out to a local game store or thrift store.

edit: just over 40 games into cleaning my N64 collection, a large number of these have the gold plating rubbed off the contacts including conker's bad fur day. no other expensive ones are bad yet though, battle zone, big mountain, donald duck, and bomberman 64 the 2nd attack are all fine luckily.

also came across 12 that had bad enough problems with the box, manual, and cart that i decided to pull them from my collection to sell and replace completely. at some point years ago i had picked up a fair chunk of CIB n64 games from a video store, so i'm expecting there to be a fair number that are far below my standards now.