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Osborne 1 value

fxg

Experienced Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
110
Location
Bucharest, Romania
Hi guys,

I've been offered an Osborne 1 by a local seller, but he doesn't really know what it's current value would be and neither do I. It's supposed to be functional, but no disks or anything else available. I've seen it valued between $50 and $200 on a couple of sites.

Could you help out and evaluate such a machine? I'd really like it in my collection, so please help :)

I'll also send him the link to this thread, so we can both watch it.

btw, if this is not the right forum then I'm kindly asking the mods to move it where it belongs.

Thanks!
 
I would say under $100 for an Osborne 1 - they don't show up every day, but they are not particularly rare. It's a fun machine, I like the tiny screen.
If you have access to an older PC with a 5.25" drive, you can use it to create some disks for the Osborne.
 
I'd have to say $ 50 - $ 100 depending on its condition (exterior), and its condition (interior).
I'm not sure how you would know it's functional if there are no disks - if it turns on and boots to the usual "v 1.4x" screen, that doesn't tell you if the disk drives work properly, are mis-aligned, or are shot, or even if the keyboard is functioning for that matter (and the keyboard was a weak link).
You can get disks easily enough, but a new keyboard or a new drive are going to cost a bundle to ship to Romania.
 
Depending on condition, I'd say $50-$70, and if it has disks and books along with it (which to me would make it worth more). Remember there were two model 1 versions. iirc one with beige/green and beige/blue. If it's just the machine and a couple of disks, $50 tops, better shape with lots of disk and books, heck, the sky is the limit. If you can get a totally complete machine for $100 I'd say luck is with you.
 
If there is no media available, you have no idea if it really works. In the least, does this screen come up when powered on and there's a disk in drive 0 (left drive)? (Does not have to be an Osborne disk for this test)

thm_osborne1a_boot-error.JPG


If you got at least this far then I'd pay $50. If it's in really nice cosmetic shape, boots up with the box and docs $100+. I think I got $199 for a boxed and complete system that worked, a sale on Ebay within the past 6 months.

Bill
 
Thanks guys, you've been very helpful :)

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm hoping I can get my hands on it soon.

btw, I also have an IBM PC 5160 [got it a couple of weeks ago] - could I use it's FDD to create good disks for the Osborne? It's the closest machine with a 5,25" FDD. I'm not sure if a 1.2MB drive would go as low as 40-track SD...
 
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Another consideration. Which case is it?

Tan case in good condition with the cable retainer/cover in the back in good shape would command a bit of a premium in my opinion.

Gray and blue case not yellowed is worth a bit more also.

Either way, a base price of $50 ranging up to $150 due to no media or manuals. Add those in and price will go up.
 
Keep in mind that if it won't boot from drive #0 (if it's faulty), there's a way to boot from the other drive. Give me some time to search some long unused areas of my databanks (core, IIRC), to see if I can dig up that info. Sm'n bout holding down a key while booting. Anybody recall which one?

--T
 
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