RarityGuide.com


  1. What is RarityGuide.comŽ?
  2. Who is RarityGuide.comŽ for?
  3. Why should I use RarityGuide.comŽ?
  4. How much does it cost to use RarityGuide.comŽ?
  5. Where can I buy rare items listed in RarityGuide.comŽ?
  6. How does RarityGuide.comŽ determine the rarity and price of an item?
  7. What is the RarityMeter™?
  8. How come I don't see a specific item listed?
  9. What item condition does the price correspond to?
  10. How can I suggest new categories?
  11. Why is an item price showing as too high/too low?
  12. Video Games: do rarities and values correspond to NTSC or PAL versions?
  13. I found a mistake in your guide
  14. My question is not answered in the FAQ



1.
What is RarityGuide.comŽ? top
RarityGuide.comŽ is a an ever expanding online project dedicated to categorize, index, appraise, photograph, collect information about, document, review and discuss collectibles. In thus doing so, we seek to educate people on the value of collectibles, preserve the past, and explore how collecting and collectibles are affecting past, present, and future generations. RarityGuide.comŽ features comprehensive online listings of item rarities and pricing. RarityGuide.comŽ has an open channel of communication to the growing community of members, who participate in Forum discussions covering many interesting topics. RarityGuide.comŽ also features a library of articles covering a wide variety of topics related to collecting and collectibles, an Online Museum for preserving the past, and extensive Commodore 64 BASIC learning materials.

2.
Who is RarityGuide.comŽ for? top
RarityGuide.comŽ can benefit many types of personas:
  • Collectors who seek to expand their collections and want to find out what they are missing and how much they are expected to pay for it.
  • Collectors looking to sell their collection and want to make sure they are not selling their items for too low.
  • Collectors who are curious to find out what items in their collection are worth.
  • Researchers seeking to gather more information about the history of collectibles.
  • Gamers who want to find out more about and discuss old school video games.
  • Bargain hunters on eBay or Flea Markets and Garage Sales who need to know which items are rare and what they are worth.
  • eBay sellers who want to set a Buy It Now price on their items or want to predict how high their item will be bid on.
  • eBay buyers who want to make sure they dont bid too low or too high.
  • Just about anyone who is curious about the rarity, value and history of any item!

3.
Why should I use RarityGuide.comŽ? top
There are many good reasons to use RarityGuide.comŽ as opposed to other sources:
  • RarityGuide.comŽ maintains a close connection to the community via its Forums. What you say can affect the categories we choose to research, new features, new directions and more. If you do not yet have a Forum account, head over to the Forums and register. Registration is free and takes 2 minutes to complete. By registering you also gain access to the Price Check forum where you can get feedback from the community regarding a value of an item.
  • RarityGuide.comŽ is an online guide, meaning it is dynamic and constantly updated as opposed to books. You do not need to purchase a new book every year.
  • RarityGuide.comŽ is easily searchable.
  • RarityGuide.comŽ is constantly updated with new categories and new items.
  • RarityGuide.comŽ has a convenient ebay link near each item, which will immediately take you to the eBay search results for that item.
  • RarityGuide.comŽ's simple yet elegant design does not distract you from the information. We do not use colors that will burn your eyes or flashy advertisements.
  • RarityGuide.comŽ has the most variety of categories in a single place, and the list of categories we cover is constantly expanding!
  • RarityGuide.comŽ has a rich repository of fresh articles in a variety of topics related to collecting and various topics.

That being said, we always recommend you check several sources to help you determine the value of your item.

4.
How much does it cost to use RarityGuide.comŽ? top
Our free price guides will always be free.

For those seeking more powerful tools, we also offer a subscription service to our advanced, ad-free version of the Rarity Guides, "RarityGuide Pro".

To learn more about RarityGuide Pro, see: RarityGuide Pro Features

RarityGuide PRO

5.
Where can I buy rare items listed in RarityGuide.comŽ? top
Your best bet would be to try eBay, the world's largest auction site. For your convenience, we provide a link to the direct search results of any item. Just click on the eBay icon. Some items have additional online marketplaces linked to.

6.
How does RarityGuide.comŽ determine the rarity and price of an item? top
One word: Research! We research values of items just as we would research a college project.
  • Research of books and periodicals on the subject.
  • Feedback from our community.
  • Our researchers' expertise and knowledge of a category being covered
  • Consulting with friends and clubs that have knowledge in the area.
  • Observing current market activity.
  • Monitoring newsgroups, bulletin boards, listservs and forums on the subject matter.
  • Even attending many garage sales, thrift shops and flea markets to get a first hand insight!

7.
What is the RarityMeter™? top
Our revolutionary RarityMeter™ system was devised after talking to many collectors and listening to their needs. RarityGuide.comŽ's rating deviates from the strict definition of "Rare" as just number of units produced. Instead, we factor in many additional factors including popularity, demand, age and collectibility. In addition, we use a percentage system which allows a more precise rating then a 5 or 10 point system. The percentage system tells you how much collectibility value an item has and/or how hard it is going to be to find that item. A visual meter illustrates the item's collectibility. The closer the meter is to the red side, the more collectible the item is.

In some item categories, in addition to our percentage rarity rating, we also list the official production rarity (the rarity corresponding to how many units were produced)

RarityMeter™ Rating System:
  • 01% to 10%: Extremely Common. Hardly any collectibility value. Abundant in all markets. This can also apply to items that are still in store.
  • 11% to 20%: Very Common. still abundant, but have slightly more collectibility value.
  • 21% to 30%: Common. These items are still not hard to get, but many collectors still desire them.
  • 31% to 40%: Uncommon. These have decent collectibilty value. still widely available, but you might have to exert a little extra effort and cash to get them
  • 41% to 50%: Sought After. Not easy to find and/or good collectibility value. Desired by most collectors. If you are persistent you will sooner or later get the item.
  • 51% to 60%: Very Sought After. Difficult to find and/or high collectibility value. You will most likely compete against many other collectors to get an item in this category
  • 61% to 70%: Highly Collectible. Very hard to find and/or very high collectibility value. Be prepared to pay a lot for it.
  • 71% to 80%: Extremely Collectible. Especially hard to find and/or extremely high collectibility value. Among the top items in the collectibility value. Grants you legitimate bragging rights.
  • 81% to 90%: Super rare. Every collector dreams to have these items.
  • 91% to 100%: Ultra Rare. The most sought items in the category.

Note that rarity ratings change over time, so be sure to check the guide often.

8.
How come I don't see a specific item listed? top
Make sure you are in the correct category. If you are positive you are in the right place, then most likely we just haven't gotten to add that item to the list yet. Check back often as items are constantly added!

9.
What item condition does the price correspond to? top
For boxed items, the condition classification categories are:
  • NIB (New In Box): Item has never been opened. This often implies that it is factory sealed.
  • CIB (Complete In Box): Item has been opened, and most likely used, but includes all parts it originally came with, for example the box itself and the manual.
  • L (Loose) Item only, without packaging. Does not inlude box, manual or other acessories.

In many cases, such as items that have very long been out of print, there is a huge price difference between a NIB item and a non NIB item .

For other items, the condition classification categories are:
  • M/NM (Mint/Near Mint): Item is in perfect condition without any flaws, or very close to perfect.
  • EXC (Excellent): Item has some minor, but still noticeable, flaws.
  • G (Good): Item is in ok condition, but looks used and has numerous flaws such as scratches or blemishes.

We are aware that there are many different conditions such as fair, fine, poor etc. We chose not to list all conditions because we want the guide to be simple and the prices to be easier to digest, but still give you a lot of information. The conditions listed should give you a good idea of prices. Use your discretion to factor this when using the rarity guide. For example, for an item in poor condition, consider the price to be lower then the lowest price which we list for that item. In some cases, such as virtual items, these classifications may not apply.


10.
How can I suggest new categories? top
We are constantly adding new categories to the guide, so yours might be just around the corner! Be sure to check back often. still, if there is any hobby you are interested in but it is not covered, feel free to request it and we will do our best to add it. Use the contact form or post in the forums to suggest a new category.

11.
Why is an item price showing as too high/too low? top
While we make every effort to appraise all items, this guide is intended to be- a guide. Many subjective issues can factor into an item's price which is why different guides always have different values. Use common sense when doing any trades based on guide prices. If you believe any value to be a mistake, please let us know via the forums or the contact form.

12.
Video Games: do rarities and values correspond to NTSC or PAL versions? top
NTSC, unless otherwise stated.

13.
I found a mistake in your guide top
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information listed here, due to the sheer volume of data we handle we cannot always guarantee it. Please use the contact form or post in the forums to report any discrepancy you think you have found.

14.
My question is not answered in the FAQ top
Please use the contact form or post in the forums.



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Disclaimer: while reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information provided on RarityGuide.com is accurate and current, no guarantees for the currency or accuracy of information are made. RarityGuide.com's information is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied. RarityGuide.com and its authors make no guarantee and hold no responsibility for any damage, injury, loss of property, loss of data, loss of any and all resources, or any negative influence, that may result from any and all usage of the information found on RarityGuide.com, or linked from RarityGuide.com. All trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.