I collect board games and am wondering where could I search the value of them?

Question

I have classic games from the 1930s and about 8 or 9 different versions of monoply. In all I have about 250 - 300 board games in all. I just want to see how valuable my collection is so, if anyone knows of a website please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You could find the value of some games by searching e-bay and other auction places. But don't expect too much for free. If people can't make money they won't do many of the things we take for granted, like the internet.

The last book of games I bought was printed in 2000, and I bought it at half price books. It is the most comprehensive book I've seen. It tells me my game "Big Business" is worth $75, I bought it for $10. It also has pictures of the boxes and some of the boards. Not bad for $4.98, two years ago.

Answer 2

Board games in and of themselves really have no value. The value is in the beholder. In other words, what is someone willing to pay for a particular game. They are just not like antique furniture unless you are looking at it from an art aspect or something similar.
Older board games are about bringing out memories of years gone by. That is why the value of the game fluctuates dramatically in the first 50 years.
Vintage games will have value based on the artwork, availability condition and completeness. Unfortunately, most books try to base value on demand and not on the above factors. The reality is "board games" as antiques is relatively new, basically a 20th Century invention. Antiques like furniture or housewares have been around since caveman times and have been updated through the centuries.

Answer 3

Market values vary widely, depending largely on a game's rarity, its condition and completeness, and who's looking for it at any particular time.
eBay is the largest on-line venue for vintage board-games, so your best bet is to search current and completed auctions there to see what sort of prices other examples of your games earn.
Published "price guides" can give only a ballpark estimate of actual market values -- and even at that, usually for only pristine examples -- and aren't to be taken as gospel. Auctions are something of a crapshoot, especially for scarce, infrequently seen games -- a game may sell for only a tiny fraction of its typical price, or for many times the "going rate." More commonly available games establish a sort of "track record" and usually sell for steadier (if naturally lower) prices.
Sorry, there's no shortcut to evaluating the worth of your collection -- you'll have to do some research. If you're wondering, however, about insuring what you have, insurance companies are notoriously ignorant about antiques and collectibles, so if you can photographically document your collection, they may take a printed price guide (like Alex Malloy's *American Games,* which should be available through a library or better bookstore or on-line bookseller) as a reliable valuation.

Answer 4

I have several price guides but I find that they don't accurately reflect the prices I see as an auctioneer and when I buy and sell on EBay. The best way is to see what a buyer will offer for each item.

Answer 5

You might try getting in touch with the puzzle and game collectors association www.agpc.org. Also, I bought a book from an antique store (printed in 1989 I think) that has a very complete listing of games and values.

Answer 6

Best way I can think of is go to ebay and enter each game in the search window. Click on advanced search and check the box that says include description. There will also be a box that says check completed sales. This way you can see wat the games actually sold for. No guarantee you'll find all the games, but it's a start.
Bob