HP Forum Archive 13

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More eBay Madness! Message #1 Posted by Todd G on 19 May 2003, 2:07 p.m. I know we've beaten this dead horse, but this as got to take the cake: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3024550097&category=11713&rd=1

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #2 Posted by Patrick on 19 May 2003, 2:12 p.m., in response to message #1 by Todd G That guy has been outbidding me all over eBay. He's really annoying. ;-) I just wish he'd run out of money. If we keep seeing prices like this, maybe the counterfeiters will get into the act!?

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #3 Posted by hugh on 19 May 2003, 2:14 p.m., in response to message #2 by Patrick ... or even hp maybe :-)

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #4 Posted by ToddG on 19 May 2003, 5:41 p.m., in response to message #2 by Patrick Well, if you're a seller, he's the guy you want to sell to. Looks like he's paid several hundred dollars for a couple of 41C wands. A bit much, IMHO, but to each his own. I got mine a few years ago from an Educalc closeout for $20 NIB. I think I got a few 41 ROM wallets for free in the deal too.

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #5 Posted by Chan Tran on 20 May 2003, 11:22 a.m., in response to message #4 by ToddG The company that I work for is in business making boxes similar to the HP97 box. So I HP decides to make money selling boxes we can make them cheap and it's 100% legal. It's kind of genuine counterfeit.

Copyright infringement ?? Message #6 Posted by NH on 20 May 2003, 1:04 p.m., in response to message #5 by Chan Tran Are you really sure that you could legally re-print the HP logo on such boxes, without infringing on their copyright ?? I think the Carly types have got a roomful of lawyers just waiting eagerly to tell you that you cannot do what you just said. Remember, when they got rid of their engineering staff, they hired lawyers to replace them, so that the chairs would stay warm.

Re: At double $$$ Message #7 Posted by Ron Ross on 20 May 2003, 2:03 p.m., in response to message #6 by NH And at double the salary of the engineers, since they are so valuable to keep around.

try ten times Message #8 Posted by Norm on 20 May 2003, 8:26 p.m., in response to message #7 by Ron Ross Try 10 times, the lawyers make 10 times what the engineers make. Thats because Carly-types figured out that they can make more money by manipulating the corporate world (mergers, staged bankruptcies, selloffs, bonuses, perks) than by building better products. Since their primary personal money-engine involves the boardroom shake-ups, then sure, the lawyers make 10 times. All the engineers do, after all, is build things, make them better, figure out how to keep a rocket-engine from collapsing under the stress, etc etc. And nowadays, who gives a rip about stuff like that.

Re: Copyright infringement ?? Message #9 Posted by Chan Tran on 20 May 2003, 7:06 p.m., in response to message #6 by NH Oh Norm! You did not read my post correctly. Let me rephrase it. I said IF HP(not us) wants to get into the business of selling empty boxes (instead of selling calculators), they can contract us to make the boxes for them (They sure didn't make the original boxes either). We can guarantee supply them with boxes that are identical in quality and appearance of the original boxes. Thus I would call them boxes GENUINE (sold by HP) and yet COUNTERFEIT (they are not the original boxes).

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #10 Posted by Mike on 19 May 2003, 10:06 p.m., in response to message #2 by Patrick Bid higher!

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #11 Posted by Ellis Easley on 19 May 2003, 2:15 p.m., in response to message #1 by Todd G That's what I paid (+/- $1) for a 97 with the original open-air AC adapter, brand new manual (still had chad stuck to the punched holes), and two boxes of blue printer paper.

Well, the box DOES look perfect! Message #12 Posted by Gene on 19 May 2003, 2:24 p.m., in response to message #1 by Todd G Some collectors want everything. I've seen calculators traded for BOXES before, so this isn't too surprising (to me) given the box looks great. I have boxes for several HP's...29C...25C...25...97...67 etc.

I got some boxes Message #13 Posted by NH on 19 May 2003, 2:30 p.m., in response to message #12 by Gene That is impressive, an empty HP-97 box for $138 . The bidders must've all won the lottery. I got some perfect boxes, nice big perfect cardboard boxes, I got one says 'Campbell Soup 4 dozen" got another says 'Dole Bananas' Any takers?

Re: I got some boxes Message #14 Posted by gifron on 19 May 2003, 3:56 p.m., in response to message #13 by NH Mint condition????

Re: I got some boxes Message #15 Posted by Patrick on 19 May 2003, 4:58 p.m., in response to message #14 by gifron I have some "After-8" boxes which are "minty" ?

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #16 Posted by David Smith on 19 May 2003, 7:29 p.m., in response to message #1 by Todd G With very few exceptions, very nice calculator boxes are worth more than the contents.

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #17 Posted by Ellis Easley on 20 May 2003, 6:03 p.m., in response to message #16 by David Smith Does that (higher value put on boxes than contents) apply to other kinds of collectables? I can think of one explanation for the phenomenon: boxes tend to get thrown away (more than the contents anyway), so at any point in time you can probably find more contents than boxes, making the boxes more rare and so more valuable (to someone who wants one!) Is the value of boxes more pronounced for HP calculator boxes? Some of them (like the Classics) have fairly plain graphics but use stylized numbers and text that are representative of the times. TI boxes tend to have photographic images showing affluent office settings (seems to me).

Re: More eBay Madness! Message #18 Posted by David Smith on 20 May 2003, 7:22 p.m., in response to message #17 by Ellis Easley Most certainly... particularly in things like old toys and any item where the box gets thrown away. An old toy in its original box can be worth easily 2-10 times as much as a bare toy. Watch your Antiques Roadshow for many other examples.

The box looks mint Message #19 Posted by Mike on 19 May 2003, 10:09 p.m., in response to message #1 by Todd G Do you have a mint box you want to sell for what you think is a fair price? If you do, I'll give you the $20 you probably think a Mint box is worth. Didn't think so! Do you even have a mint box? Do you even care if you have a box? Many collectors want everything mint or near mint.

but does it taste minty fresh? Message #20 Posted by db(martinez,california) on 20 May 2003, 12:22 a.m., in response to message #19 by Mike mike and david; i believe that you guys know what you are talking about when you say something is or can be worth a (to me) seemingly crazy price. if someone wants to bid a hundred and thirty bucks on a box it doesn't affect me either way. people think that i'm nuts for having a display cabinet full of obsolete technology that i usually paid a few of bucks each for. well, maybe there are a few other reasons. anyway, i live in a glass house so i won't throw rocks. however i would like to say this: therwil, meet texas pyro. texas pyro, meet therwil. you two have a lot in common. you both have seventeen of everything hp ever made. now can you both go somewhere and bid against each other so a few people can get one of something.

I'll sell you mint boxes Message #21 Posted by NH on 20 May 2003, 1:30 a.m., in response to message #20 by db(martinez,california) I'll sell you mint boxes, an affordable $35 a box, and the mints will even still be in the boxes !! :o) My favorite is "after eight".

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