Value of brand new, unopened Commodore PET 2001-8N found in basement

[powerlot]

Wow, I would be interested in one of those KIM. What a treasure you found, and it could have ended up in recycling!

 

[Mx597]

I just stumbled across this thread, and wow, what an amazing find. I thought I got lucky when I found a NOS 1084S-P monitor still in its original unopened box, but this is on another level. I was kind of disappointed to see that OP opened the box, I would have tried to sell it unopened first to some nut like me who would much rather buy the unopened box. (No need to flame me, I see I'm totally in the minority here.)

 

[Mx597]

PS In case anyone is wondering, the 1084S-P is still in its unopened box. (Not nearly as cool as finding an unopened computer box, but not bad either.)

 

[rhyoraptor]

I just stumbled across this thread, and wow, what an amazing find. I thought I got lucky when I found a NOS 1084S-P monitor still in its original unopened box, but this is on another level. I was kind of disappointed to see that OP opened the box, I would have tried to sell it unopened first to some nut like me who would much rather buy the unopened box. (No need to flame me, I see I'm totally in the minority here.)

I can totally understand that. As I mentioned in another comment, upon further inspection it appears the original owner did open the tops of the boxes, presumably to make sure nothing looked damage fom transit. If it had be factory sealed, I would've been much more hesitant to pull everything out even for photos. It's hard for me to know what the best course of action is for collectors. There are still a couple machines I haven't pulled out from their boxes, at least.

 

[NeXT]

Some people are purists and if they don't want the seller to open the box, they'll either never open it themselves or the seller is being lined up for a "arrived not as described" claim. For us Canadians especially if you tried to ship that to Canada as opposed to the lower 48, CBSA would open it regardless. No amount of paperwork is gonna save it from an inspection.

OP could of just taped the box shut again and we'd of been none the wiser, but I don't blame the OP for at least checking to see what was inside. A sliced piece of clear packing tape that's three feet long is not going to crater the value. (or it could...or it won't...really the OP doesn't really care about it as he just wants to find it all good homes)

 

[Hugo Holden]

PS In case anyone is wondering, the 1084S-P is still in its unopened box. (Not nearly as cool as finding an unopened computer box, but not bad either.)

You have Schrödinger's monitor, since you have not looked in the box. Until you look in there it is simultaneously true that there is a new unused and a used and broken VDU In there. Or even no VDU and just the remains of a black Cat.

 

[Mx597]

I can totally understand that. As I mentioned in another comment, upon further inspection it appears the original owner did open the tops of the boxes, presumably to make sure nothing looked damage fom transit. If it had be factory sealed, I would've been much more hesitant to pull everything out even for photos. It's hard for me to know what the best course of action is for collectors. There are still a couple machines I haven't pulled out from their boxes, at least.

I didn’t notice the message where you mentioned the original owner had opened the top of the boxes at some point… in that case I totally agree, you have to look inside and there is no loss of “mystery” or “unboxing pleasure”.

Those KIM-1’s are neat too. Have you found any other treasures in the basement thus far?

 

[Mx597]

You have Schrödinger's monitor, since you have not looked in the box. Until you look in there it is simultaneously true that there is a new unused and a used and broken VDU In there. Or even no VDU and just the remains of a black Cat.

Good one. I guess we won’t know till I open the box, but I will probably wait for some special occasion to do so.

 

[Mx597]

Some people are purists and if they don't want the seller to open the box, they'll either never open it themselves or the seller is being lined up for a "arrived not as described" claim. For us Canadians especially if you tried to ship that to Canada as opposed to the lower 48, CBSA would open it regardless. No amount of paperwork is gonna save it from an inspection.

OP could of just taped the box shut again and we'd of been none the wiser, but I don't blame the OP for at least checking to see what was inside. A sliced piece of clear packing tape that's three feet long is not going to crater the value. (or it could...or it won't...really the OP doesn't really care about it as he just wants to find it all good homes)

Actually I disagree here. There is no way OP (or the original owner) could have taped the box shut again without it being noticeable. With careful inspection you could tell from the age of the tape, small tears to the paper, sticky residue, discolourations in both the tape and the cardboard (paper ages differently when covered by tape, some light is blocked, chemicals leach), etc., etc.

I would bet the house on the fact that the 1084s box I have has never been opened. It came together with a Commodore PC-10 III and that box was opened 30+ years ago. Even though the original owner did a gentle and careful job of resealing the box, the fact that it was opened is still noticeable from the indicators mentioned above.

 

[Agent Orange]

Some people are purists and if they don't want the seller to open the box, they'll either never open it themselves or the seller is being lined up for a "arrived not as described" claim. For us Canadians especially if you tried to ship that to Canada as opposed to the lower 48, CBSA would open it regardless. No amount of paperwork is gonna save it from an inspection.

OP could of just taped the box shut again and we'd of been none the wiser, but I don't blame the OP for at least checking to see what was inside. A sliced piece of clear packing tape that's three feet long is not going to crater the value. (or it could...or it won't...really the OP doesn't really care about it as he just wants to find it all good homes)

In the same vein, some shippers open boxes and even OEM's have been known to open and close a box before they ship. And as far as that individual who gets off on unopened boxes, I'd be glad to keep his in busy (or in ecstasy) on the unopened packages for any amount he wants to pay.

 

[Hugo Holden]

If a buyer agreed under no circumstances at all to open the box (of a type of box they could not see into) and not X-ray it either, its contents would become academic and it could well be a bag of sand of approximately the correct weight and the buyer would remain happy and give positive feedback to the seller too. This idea could catch on and more unopened products might appear on the bay and sand start disappearing from beaches.

 

[Mx597]

If a buyer agreed under no circumstances at all to open the box (of a type of box they could not see into) and not X-ray it either, its contents would become academic and it could well be a bag of sand of approximately the correct weight and the buyer would remain happy and give positive feedback to the seller too. This idea could catch on and more unopened products might appear on the bay and sand start disappearing from beaches.

I am sorry but that’s just silly. Do you really think it’s so easy to fake a period correct Commodore box that has aged 30+ years? If so, you should start making some now, because there are enough “suckers” like me that would be customers.

 

[Hugo Holden]

I am sorry but that’s just silly. Do you really think it’s so easy to fake a period correct Commodore box that has aged 30+ years? If so, you should start making some now, because there are enough “suckers” like me that would be customers.

I was trying to be silly !

But it is still possible for anyone to be fooled by a box that appears never to have been opened.

 

[rhyoraptor]

It's Commodore, so it totally belongs here.
I'd be interested in one of those KIM-1s

FWIW, the early KIMs with only the MOS logo, from before Commodore acquired MOS, are generally worth more.
Any with white ceramic chips are also worth quite a bit to collectors.

So I got a count and it looks like there are 13 total KIM-1s in their boxes. Two of them appear to have white chips. The boxes include all manuals and a few of them even include a big KIM-1 poster.

 

[Mx597]

Wow… that is awesome. I have never seen that KIM-1 poster before.

Have you settled on selling things on eBay, or are you trying locally first? I hope you manage to get some good prices for the old lady.

 

[Hugo Holden]

Wow 13 Kim-1's and their paperwork. !! Even to find one like this would be amazing. This must be the find of the century.

 

[alank2]

Amazing!!!! Wow.

 

[rhyoraptor]

Those KIM-1’s are neat too. Have you found any other treasures in the basement thus far?

I found this box but the computer board is in a metal frame. Not sure what to make of it yet, will try to open it soon I suppose. (Sorry some of these photos are so dark, the basement light doesn't work right now so I'm all headlamps down there.)

 

[rhyoraptor]

Wow… that is awesome. I have never seen that KIM-1 poster before.

Have you settled on selling things on eBay, or are you trying locally first? I hope you manage to get some good prices for the old lady.

I will put one of the original packaged PETs on eBay I think and the 8Ns and whatever KIM-1s are left after I sell to the people direct messaging me for one. I may try to sell locally but Alaska is a big place and it's cold right now so I don't know how far someone is willing to drive for a computer. ha. I think local sales are ideal but I am not in a rush so can take my time selling online if need be to ensure they go to someone who will appreciate one.

 

[bzotto]

I found this box but the computer board is in a metal frame. Not sure what to make of it yet, will try to open it soon I suppose. (Sorry some of these photos are so dark, the basement light doesn't work right now so I'm all headlamps down there.)

It's basically like a KIM-1, but produced in parallel by another chip company (Synertek) that was second-sourcing the same computer CPU chip (the 6502) that Commodore built the KIM-1 around. (a quick blurb here ). KIMs and VIMs and SYMs -1 are all "computers," but distilled down to their essence on one raw circuit board. They were originally designed more or less for people to get up to speed on understanding how these chip sets worked in a world where microprocessors were just becoming accessible to individuals and small companies-- in a sense they were part of a broader marketing effort to drive interest to ("evangelize") the 6502 CPU.