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VIC 20 for sale or trade

B

bettablue

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
1,647
Location
Eugene, OR
To begin with here, I really don't know a whole lot about any of the Commodore systems. I do know that the Vic20 is pretty much worthless in terms of collectability, and that the C-64 is the the minimum of what a vintage computer user would accept as "worthy". So I was quite puzzled when I was recently given a pair of Commodore Vic 20's. They came with 11 game cartridges, none of which pique my interest other than "Defender". :confused4: I was puzzled because looking at auction sites, I saw absolutely no bidding activity at all on any of the VIC-20s, while the c-64s had auctions AND bids going from $20.00 to almost $100.00!

So now I'm at a loss. I hate to just send these machines to a recycler because that goes against everything I believe in when it comes to saving vintage computers! So recycling is out. I also don't want to just give them away either because there are just too many folks out there who claim to be collectors, but really only "collect" so they have access to them for their gold content. I have already been approached by some who told me they would immediately strip them for whatever they could get. Same thing, out of the question. :wallbang:

I really do want to get a C-64 in good condition; one that comes with the whatever cables and adapters required to connect it to a 'plain jane' TV for operation.

Is my pair of Vic-20 Commodores worth a trade? So while I'm trying to get the C-64, I'm also looking to find a home for the VIC-20's.

Please contact me if you are either willing to make a deal, or can offer a better solution for properly handling these computers. :toast:

TIA

~BettaBlue~
 
Some people actually consider the VIC-20 to be semi-uncommon, and would be willing to pay far more than for a C64 in equal condition. A working computer with 11 loose cartridges should easily be worth $60, perhaps even $100 or beyond. Your lot of two machines should easily be trade-in value for a C64 + floppy drive, perhaps you could even ask for more peripherals.
 
Post a wanted on the local freecycle for a C64, there should be plenty around.

The C64 was around much longer, had tons more games (and on floppy disk instead of cart or tape), more RAM, and better video resolution then the Vic-20 so it is much more popular. I keep around both a C64 and C64c for old games, but my C128 is what is setup most of the time.

I do have a small stack of Vic-20 games but never got around to getting a Vic-20 to mess with them.

There are many people looking after the old game systems and computers for scrapping, but most are worth more on ebay then for gold content.

I am sure somebody around here would want a vic-20 and since they would pay more for shipping them the unit is worth for "gold" you know they will not scrap it.
 
I thought the vic was fun in it's own right. Larger cartridges, loading off of tape, etc. You get the nostalgia feeling a bit better than loading off of a c64 and floppy which takes "no time". I was really excited my first time to load a game off of tape. I started by just saving a basic program to tape and loading that to test it out, that of course was quick. But the stories of folks who remember loading entire games off tape and walking off to make a sandwich while it loaded lol .. those you don't get without the authentic system.

Oh to Carlsson's point as well, I think there is a fairly rare version of the Vic-20 that uses the Pet keyboard? Something with the color and font on the keys.
 
When I first got my C64 back in the mid 80's I was stuck using games on tape, it was slow. I ended up getting a floppy drive soon after and then most of my games were on floppy (which had a fast boot loader to speed things up more). Plenty of the games I played needed save game disks so tapes were out anyway.

I get nostalgia from playing games on the original hardware, but flipping floppies (C64 used both sides) gets to be a pain.
 
Unknown_K said:
Post a wanted on the local freecycle for a C64, there should be plenty around.

I am sure somebody around here would want a vic-20 and since they would pay more for shipping them the unit is worth for "gold" you know they will not scrap it.
Click to expand...

I have tried freecycle, but I have never been successful at making any kind of deal through the site. Still, I am interested. Guss I'll try it again.. (Sighs)
 
Freecycle does have it's "thing" about it and the members. I'm a member here, and there is a lot that can go wrong, even though they all are supposed to keep it civil.

A wanted ad on Craigslist has done wonders for me, though. Might also want to try there. I've met a lot of interesting people through craigslist, and it has it's ups and downs, too, but it seems to reach more people.
 
Yes, the very first edition of VIC-20 has keyboard letters that are very square (Microgamma font, IIRC) as opposed to the latter Helvetica font used on VIC-20CR and C64 until the second generation C64C when they changed font again to match the C128/Amiga ones. There is also an in-between Eurostile keyboard on the VIC-20. If you have a VIC in good condition with the "PET style" square Microgamma font, it is worth $$$ and definitely should NOT be scrapped nor just swapped for any C64.
 
Good luck with your sale... I had a huge VIC 20 lot that took a year+ to sell.
I had a functional 20, tape drive, monitor, NOS sealed books & software, add on hardware , 20 boxed games, loose games and the asking was $75 for ALL... Had it on ebay, here, lemon board ,every gaming forum with no takers.
Finally parted it out and was "lucky" to get $40 for the games and computer...

The market stinks... 6-10 years ago one could have made a small fortune on all the c64 and vic stuff I had... Garage full.
 
My son is a huge fan of the Vic 20! He is begging for one for his 15th birthday. He is a programmer and designs video games, so he sounds like the kind of person who would appreciate receiving one of your VIC 20s.

bettablue said:
To begin with here, I really don't know a whole lot about any of the Commodore systems. I do know that the Vic20 is pretty much worthless in terms of collectability, and that the C-64 is the the minimum of what a vintage computer user would accept as "worthy". So I was quite puzzled when I was recently given a pair of Commodore Vic 20's. They came with 11 game cartridges, none of which pique my interest other than "Defender". :confused4: I was puzzled because looking at auction sites, I saw absolutely no bidding activity at all on any of the VIC-20s, while the c-64s had auctions AND bids going from $20.00 to almost $100.00!

So now I'm at a loss. I hate to just send these machines to a recycler because that goes against everything I believe in when it comes to saving vintage computers! So recycling is out. I also don't want to just give them away either because there are just too many folks out there who claim to be collectors, but really only "collect" so they have access to them for their gold content. I have already been approached by some who told me they would immediately strip them for whatever they could get. Same thing, out of the question. :wallbang:

I really do want to get a C-64 in good condition; one that comes with the whatever cables and adapters required to connect it to a 'plain jane' TV for operation.

Is my pair of Vic-20 Commodores worth a trade? So while I'm trying to get the C-64, I'm also looking to find a home for the VIC-20's.

Please contact me if you are either willing to make a deal, or can offer a better solution for properly handling these computers. :toast:

TIA

~BettaBlue~
Click to expand...
 
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