Thrift shop find last week made me question the whole "original box" obsession

I swung by a Salvation Army in St. Louis last Thursday and found a complete Dreamcast for $25. No box, just the console, cables, and one controller sitting in a bin with other junk. Everyone online acts like you need the original packaging for it to be worth anything, but I booted it up and it works perfect. Honest question, when did having a cardboard box become more important than actually playing the games?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivan_harris2d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on this one a little. I mean, I totally get where you're coming from with the $25 Dreamcast being a steal, but the box thing matters more than people give it credit for. Like, it's not just about resale value - a complete in box console tells you nobody tossed it around or stored it in a damp basement for years. That's why collectors get weird about it. Honestly, finding a loose console that works is awesome, but I've bought plenty of "tested working" systems that died after a month because they were missing the foam inserts or got smushed in storage. Cardboard isn't the point, but it's a pretty good sign the previous owner actually took care of their stuff.

betty_perry242d ago

Wait, isn't that kinda the whole point though? I mean, sure, a box can show a console was taken care of, but how many times have you seen a "complete in box" system that was clearly just thrown in a garage for twenty years and the box is all beat up anyway? Idk, maybe it's just me but I'd rather have a loose Dreamcast that actually works for $25 than pay double for a box that's just gonna sit on a shelf. The whole foam insert argument makes sense in theory, but you can usually tell just by looking at the console if it was stored badly - like if the vents are full of dust or the controller ports are all scratched up. And honestly, who's keeping their original cardboard boxes in good shape after all these years? Most people probably tossed them the day they got the system.

morganmartinez1d ago

Betty makes a fair point about beat up boxes, but I've had good luck finding systems where the seller kept everything including the twist ties and plastic bags. Bought a complete SNES last year that was clearly stored properly because the console itself looked almost new, no yellowing or scratches. That peace of mind made the extra $40 worth it for me since I knew it wouldn't crap out after a week.

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