E3 Premium Selling Strategy - Value Over Time?

[chosen1s]

(Bracing for impact from flamers who misinterpret this topic)

So...

I found a Zelda: Twilight Princess DS Trailer cart from E3 at a local game store for $50 and bought it. While a lot of games I buy for my own private enjoyment, and still other games I buy for my "collection" of games, there are things that I but strictly with reselling in mind. This is one of those things - I expect it's value is probably around $100 - $150 right now (Will help cover cost of DS Lite).

So, does anybody have any experience with E3 promos? In order to make the most of my investment, should I sell now while the E3 hype is still big, or hold on to it for a year or more until the supply has pretty much dispersed into the hands of collectors and those without might be willing to pay top dollar? I figure this E3 promo stuff either gains substantial value over time or plummets to being worthless after the hype is over. Anybody else have any experience with E3 "collectibles"?

If you're curious, I haven't spent time with the game (I'm in the in-between stage of having sold my old DS while it still had value and buying the new Lite), but was was told that it is nothing more than a 3-minute trailer of the GC/Wii game. Here's a link to E3 stuff that includes the DS cart. I have the cart only, none of the other extras.

http://cgi.ebay.com/E3-Legend-of-Zelda-Twilight-Princess-Preview-Trailer_W0QQitemZ8288228235QQihZ020QQcategoryZ6205 3QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Quackzilla]

holy fuck you goddamn lucky bastard!

[chosen1s]

Is it really that rare? I saw a guy claiming there were only "1,000 in existence", but I assumed he was just trying to make the sale, considering he seemed to have several of them and there were "so few" of them, I didn't give that a lot of credence.

[Redeema]

One of those Zelda trailers sold for $500 right before this past E3. I've got two copies of it and I'm just holding on to it. It will be the rarest of all Zelda rares and only appealing to Zelda collector's, but it seems to have maintained it's value for the most part since last year.

I guess you could worry that it'll lose value when the game comes out this Autumn, but you never know.

The same thing goes for the Gears of War 360 faceplates they gave out this year at MS' booth. I have one and it gets about $200 on ebay, and I'm wondering whether I should get rid of it now or hold on to it...if the game sucks that value will drop to pennies, so maybe it's better to unload it now. I'm just not sure, the collector in me says to hold on to it. (By the way the multiplayer was damn fun, and this comes from someone who doesn't like shooters too much). So, anyone want to buy a Gears of War faceplate.

[chosen1s]

So...

Was this trailer from this E3 or from last year's E3? I guess I was under the assumption they were handed out last month but from your post it sounds like they've been out for more than a year?

[nnthomas]

Last year, 2005

[Genocidal]

If it were me, I'd sell it when Twilight Princess came out. If the recent Final Fantasy VII price spike is any indication, you'll probably be able to make the most cash around release of a related game.

[megabadd]

HOLY CRAP!

I got one at E3 '05 and almost threw it away the other day -_-; Hmm, goodbye money problems!

[chosen1s]

^ Glad I could help. I almost passed it over when I was at the game store. Had they not priced it at $50 I would have figured it was probably worthless.

[Redeema]

It makes you wonder what your game store paid for it if they're selling it for $50. Maybe I'll get rid of one right before the Wii hits, so I can ride a wave of anticipation and fund my Wii all at once. I think that's a solid strategy. Especially in my case, where I have two copies.

[chosen1s]

I asked them (the first time I was there I was thinking it might be a cutesy $5 trinket I could pick up on Ebay and bring in for trade) - they gave $30 but she didn't know if they paid cash or credit (probably credit).

[megabadd]

Thanks a lot Chosen1s and Redeema. I'll probably hang on the cart until Twilight Princess comes out too, or put it up for 'Best Offers'.

[Vinny]

One of those Zelda trailers sold for $500 right before this past E3. I've got two copies of it and I'm just holding on to it. It will be the rarest of all Zelda rares and only appealing to Zelda collector's, but it seems to have maintained it's value for the most part since last year.

I guess you could worry that it'll lose value when the game comes out this Autumn, but you never know.

The same thing goes for the Gears of War 360 faceplates they gave out this year at MS' booth. I have one and it gets about $200 on ebay, and I'm wondering whether I should get rid of it now or hold on to it...if the game sucks that value will drop to pennies, so maybe it's better to unload it now. I'm just not sure, the collector in me says to hold on to it. (By the way the multiplayer was damn fun, and this comes from someone who doesn't like shooters too much). So, anyone want to buy a Gears of War faceplate.

How the hell did you get two of those trailers and the GoW faceplate?

[Redeema]

Well, I got one trailer from Nintendo at E3 last year, the other came luckily on my plane trip home, I sat down next to a guy who was also there and I had my DS out, he asked me if I wanted it since he didn't have a DS. Of course I said yes and I'm happy I did.

The Gears of War faceplate came from Microsoft at this E3. We set up a meeting with them to play the game and when we went in for our half-hour session they were sitting on every seat. I've also got the Madcatz 360 faceplate which goes for a good amount too. That was given to press only (like Gears of War I imagine) By the way, when we walked out of our session for Gears of War, Robin Williams was walking in.

[jm2u]

That thing was worthless, I DL'd the .mov file from the nintendo press server and sold miine right after E305. I think i got 150 for the Zelda cart and my press kit. I tried to sell it here on CAG before ebay and all I wanted was $100 but had no takers.