Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 48 posts

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#11

Post by oldnetguy »

EBAY, this is where you will get the most money.

RR Auctions is the only auction house I know that does computers

https://www.rrauction.com/

Then there are vintage computer festivals all over the country now and they have sales and markets. Find one close to you and sell it there.

https://vcfed.org/events/

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#12

Post by vintermann »

If you're talking about things like Commodore 64s, I would talk to a local enthusiast group, should be easy enough to find on Facebook etc. You do get some money for them, but less than they cost in 1983, so it's not a collectors' object by any means. Most people still think it's better if they end up in the hands of someone who can restore/preserve them, if they don't have room for them anymore.

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#13

Post by flohofwoe »

EvanAnderson wrote: post #10
paulcole wrote: post #4

There’s a pretty big gap between early Apple computers and the crap most people have in their attic. Honestly, you’ll probably be disappointed by how much time it takes and how little money your junk is worth. Just throw it away. Or insist it has value and let your family deal with it after you die. That’s my dads plan.

> Just throw it away. At the very least, offer it up for free before throwing it away. They're not making any more vintage computers.

Exactly, even if the computer itself isn't worth much or is broken, at least it can be stripped for spare parts that are not manufactured anymore.

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#15

Post by askonomm »

EvanAnderson wrote: post #10
paulcole wrote: post #4

There’s a pretty big gap between early Apple computers and the crap most people have in their attic. Honestly, you’ll probably be disappointed by how much time it takes and how little money your junk is worth. Just throw it away. Or insist it has value and let your family deal with it after you die. That’s my dads plan.

> Just throw it away. At the very least, offer it up for free before throwing it away. They're not making any more vintage computers.

Actually, they are: https://nixsys.com/legacy-computers/windows-98-computers, https://nixsys.com/legacy-computers/windows-xp-computers, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#17

Post by EvanAnderson »

askonomm wrote: post #15
EvanAnderson wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just throw it away. At the very least, offer it up for free before throwing it away. They're not making any more vintage computers.

Actually, they are: https://nixsys.com/legacy-computers/windows-98-computers , https://nixsys.com/legacy-computers/windows-xp-computers , etc.

Nobody is fabbing more of the custom silicon you're going to find in non-PC vintage computers. There are FPGA-based replacements for some custom chips of yore, but there won't be any more real SID, POKEY, etc, chips.

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#19

Post by contingencies »

ja27 wrote: post #6

Local makerspace

Or offer it to local technical, educational or professional museums. I have seen old computers in mining museums, calculating museums, general industrial museums, graphic arts museums, etc. Alternatively, university computer societies.

Re: Ask HN: Where to sell vintage computers?

#20

Post by dgacmu »

paulcole wrote: post #4

There’s a pretty big gap between early Apple computers and the crap most people have in their attic. Honestly, you’ll probably be disappointed by how much time it takes and how little money your junk is worth. Just throw it away. Or insist it has value and let your family deal with it after you die. That’s my dads plan.

Posting it for free / on curb on Craigslist is pretty easy and keeps it out of the waste stream.
Post reply on HN