Thread

Educated guess on price for a non-upgraded Lisa 1?

68kMLA Software 38 posts Mar 20, 2012 to Dec 3, 2013

#1 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 21:16 68kMLA

I may have an opportunity to snag a working Lisa 1 with dual twiggy drives. Was wondering if anyone has an idea of how much an original Lisa 1 goes for before I try and haggle on price.

Thanks,

oP

#2 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 21:22 68kMLA

It depends on strongly your desire to possess one.

I wouldn't mind having one. But I'm not madly drooling after obtaining one, either, such that I'd be unlikely to pay more than $40 to $50 for one.

#3 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 22:18 68kMLA

$40 or $50? These days a non-working Lisa II will fetch close to ten times that much.

I haven't seen a Lisa I across Bay in quite a while but I would assume it could fetch well over the $1000 mark heading up to $2500 depending on condition and whether or not it is complete. The guy at vintagemicros.com has them every now and again but the prices are not for the feint of heart.

They are not cheap in any sense of the word.

#4 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 22:21 68kMLA

$40 or $50? These days a non-working Lisa II will fetch close to ten times that much.

I've explained my reasoning on that point.
To me, a Lisa system is not worth more than that.

#5 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 22:30 68kMLA

No, I understood what you meant. I'm just a little surprised you'd throw a ridiculous number out just to say you don't give a rip.

#6 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 22:34 68kMLA

I'm just a little surprised you'd throw a ridiculous number out just to say you don't give a rip.

I don't think it's ridiculous at all. As the person in charge of how I save and spend my money, I'd rather not dispense large sums of it on computers that are, for all practical purposes, useless.

#7 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 23:13 68kMLA

Well I wouldn't spend more then $50 for the Mona Lisa painting.. but that doesn't mean it is worth that much.

As far as haggling goes, just ask the seller what range he is looking for and go from there. Generally if you are selling something I expect you to give me a price estimate to see if we are in the same ball park or not (sellers do have a price in mind when they decide to ditch something, reasonable or not). If I see something somebody has and want it (not advertised as for sale), then it is up to me to give them a price to see if they are interested since they havn't had time to think about pricing.

Anybody who knows anything about computer collecting knows that a non upgraded Lisa 1 is pretty much destined for ebay and not some low balling local buyer. Outside of forced evictions or having to move quickly because of unforseen work requirements you tend to not find rarities for cheap anymore (stuff where the seller doesn't have time to ebay it).

#8 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 23:15 68kMLA

It's worth what people are willing to pay for it. And that will be far in excess of $50.

I would pay about $1K for one in working condition, but I think that is still too cheap.

#9 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 23:40 68kMLA

I've been watching American Pickers wayyyy too much. But it's good to learn some good approaches to haggling. It's worth whatever the person thinks he or she would like to sell it for. Just ask how much they're willing to let it go for, don't offer an amount first. It's a game. Most of the above posts for Lisa 1s are going off recent eBay sales, which reflect the upper prices of the market.

JB

#10 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 23:57 68kMLA

For niche items even ebay isn't the upper limit. I sold one rare software package that might have sold before on ebay for $500 on a good day for $1100+ to a private collector who wanted to remain nameless. I don't think enough Lisa 1's come up for auction to realy know what they are worth.

Pickers by definition are looking for items to resell with the least amount of work needed so paying well below retail is their major motivation.

#11 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 - 23:58 68kMLA

For a more "real world" value, a local recycler here sells for 10% off of the lowest price sold on ebay recently.

#12 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 - 03:00 68kMLA

I remember a Lisa 1 selling for over $20,000 in 2002.

#13 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 - 11:35 68kMLA

eBay UK has a Lisa 2 up for £3,300 (roughly $5200)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APPLE-LISA-2-COMPUTER-COMPLETE-ORIGINAL-BOXES-/290698744766?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RL&hash=item43aefed3be

Update - Which was recently bought from eBay US for $1147 (£722)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260984840220

#14 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 - 16:35 68kMLA

ill do 50 cents over what ever dogcow bids

that is what always happens to me

lol

#15 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 - 17:02 68kMLA

These threads are so much fun. Here's the part where we ask for photographic evidence.

#16 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 - 19:24 68kMLA

well in your case, you have to size up the seller, if its nothing more then some old junk laying around(to him), offer him 50 bucks , he might take it… grab it up and have a nice day

#17 Fri, 20 Apr 2012 - 22:01 68kMLA

How about . . . twenty-five large?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-BOXED-APPLE-LISA-1-COMPUTER-SYSTEM-COMPLETE-RESTORED-WORKING-/160784312263?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256f7de7c7#ht_32309wt_1150

#18 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 - 06:02 68kMLA

The Lisa in the above auction is, I believe, the one I remember going for $20K. I know for a fact there was a $20K Lisa sold in 2002.

#19 Fri, 4 May 2012 - 12:34 68kMLA

Boxed one in the UK for £2k

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290705468147

UK MAINLAND Buyers only kinda rules me out :disapprove:

#20 Mon, 7 May 2012 - 05:27 68kMLA

a WORKING Lisa one with Twiggy can get $10,000 if you hold out, I've seen 3 of them sell for that general ball back over the last 5 years. Sounds far fetched but its NOT! Good ol ebay

#21 Tue, 22 May 2012 - 20:13 68kMLA

It was a Craigslist ad, and it turns out it was a Lisa 2 (he thought it was a 1, but it wasn't), and he wanted 10k. So.. blah.

#22 Sat, 27 Apr 2013 - 06:18 68kMLA

Walk in, look at it, give a half-frown, and say, "Well, it's an interesting relic. Might give you fifty bucks for it," then feign disinterest and act like you'd like to go somewhere else.

#23 Sat, 27 Apr 2013 - 19:01 68kMLA

There's one currently going for $15 999 on eBay.

#24 Sat, 27 Apr 2013 - 20:55 68kMLA

Yeah, this guy needs to put down the crack pipe. It won't sell for near that price. Knock off around 20K, and he might have a shot.

#25 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 - 05:41 68kMLA

It won't sell for near that price.

We can't criticize eBay prices on the forum, but the reality is there are only a handful of complete Lisa 1s still in existence (no supply = high price, and there have got to be some wealthy collectors out there who are more than willing to splurge that much on a functioning Lisa 1). I've never seen a Lisa 1 listed at 25K, but these rare, complete beauties are only going to increase in value overtime.

#26 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 - 06:20 68kMLA

increase in value overtime.

speaking of that, we need to get you a IIe card for that LC-2, before they value goes up any more on those

#27 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 - 14:41 68kMLA

We can't criticize eBay prices on the forum...

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. Yeah, suppose there are folks out there with money to burn who might spend $25K on a vintage computer. Haven't met any, but they're likely out there.

I laid down nearly $300 yesterday for a Apple IIc Plus, with color monitor and external 5.25 FDD myself.

#28 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 - 18:42 68kMLA

I laid down nearly $300 yesterday

wow MR money bags

lol

My thought is , if you really want it, and you have the extra cash, treat your self.

There are people on here that take great pride into getting a free hand-me-downs from family or friends.

or a on the side of the road find,

or late nite dumpster run.

or that occasional great deal at the local (donation) re-sale shop.

ebay aside i have limits on what i will spend on something.

however that also limits me to what i can easily obtain

hahah.

for me:

Lisa 1, - not interested

Lisa 2 , - not interested

Lisa XL, - Maybe, might spend 200.00 ( max )

Quadra 840av, i was sitting pretty strong at 100.00 but, that is all i have been doing, sitting with out getting one.

Might have to up my budget to 160 (max)

TAM, personally, I don't get the hype. The most i would ever throw down for one of those is 175, but i had better be in good shape and includes the speakers etc.

Macintosh IIfx, I have been re-capping these for people, they just do not seem all that technologically wonderful

(SUPE'D up Mac II)

Enormous PCB. I'd still like a IIfx machine but the stupid ram is all proprietary and crap. my budget for a IIfx is sitting at right around 100 bucks.

For a Quadra 700, I found a nice one a couple months ago ended up paying 130 for it including shipping, it was pretty nice one.

I still think that is pretty steep my budget for a Q700 really stays at around 70.

LC -1's seem to be getting slightly rarer, 35+

LC -2's are still around and are reasonable 15-25

LC -3's have gained quite a bit of price hike over the year, 40 - 45+

LC475 Q605 - seems when you do see these they in decent shape, the price tends to climb rather high.

Mac Portables, Well it looks like HAP pretty much controls the price on those, I guess they are going for whatever he likes to price them for that day LOL

a nice SE/30 is still up around 200+ for one that is not screwed up, yellowed / beat up / warn out tube. ( lab beater )

Color Classics have surprised me, they are not going for as much as i would think they would go for, working ones are now being sold for 120 to 160

non working ones form 75 to 110.

I think the word got out people were paying big $$$ for Color Classics so others started posting theirs.

by the way if anyone needs any parts for a COLOR CLASSIC I know a guy in GUAM that has a Closet full of Color Classics.

but will only sell parts and ship USPS flat rate, other wise shipping rates from GUAM are terrible.

Powerbook 170's seem to be in demand

#29 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 - 20:47 68kMLA

Had a bead on that setup for just $120, but some other fellow tried to outbid me within the last two minutes, ratcheting up the price incrementally, and quickly. Those cats must have some third-party bot application that pings prices upward in short order.

Lost out on a IIc the week before, for much the same reason. This time, figured everything up for grabs made it worth the higher bid on my part.

#30 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 - 23:55 68kMLA

but some other fellow tried to outbid me within the last two minutes

I hate snipers. A couple of years ago, I had bid on a complete Apple IIgs system on eBay, and I followed it for over a week. Needless to say, I found myself being outbid at the last 30 seconds of the auction.

#31 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 - 10:19 68kMLA

Uni, if you don't get the TAM, you aren't meant to have one. Over time, it has become my most favourite mac, even more so than my boxed Cube and my original 128K Mac.

#32 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 - 13:10 68kMLA

I've been watching eBay and haven't seen a Lisa go for less than $500, not in any condition you'd want anyway. They usually kill you on the shipping too. More often than not you see Lisas priced in the $10,000-$25,000 range. Which is a total joke.

#33 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 - 20:49 68kMLA

They usually kill you on the shipping too.

A complete Lisa (with software and peripherals) are not light products to ship out expedited. What exactly were you expecting?

Which is a total joke.

Lisa 1s practically don't exist. They are extremely rare and to find one in working condition (with documentation) is very difficult. I'm sorry, but your assessment is utter bullshit.

#34 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 - 21:23 68kMLA

Uni, if you don't get the TAM, you aren't meant to have one. Over time, it has become my most favourite mac, even more so than my boxed Cube and my original 128K Mac.

your probably right, I guess its not in my cards

IIfx and 840av are also not in my cards

#35 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 - 01:49 68kMLA

Ironically enough when you consider inflation a complete-and-working Lisa 1 system priced at $25k is only about breaking even compared to the original cost. These kids today, sheesh...

#36 Sat, 4 May 2013 - 05:28 68kMLA

Really a computer not deprecating over 30 years is quite the feat in and of its self.

#37 Tue, 3 Dec 2013 - 02:09 68kMLA

but some other fellow tried to outbid me within the last two minutes

Click to expand...

I hate snipers. A couple of years ago, I had bid on a complete Apple IIgs system on eBay, and I followed it for over a week. Needless to say, I found myself being outbid at the last 30 seconds of the auction.

Did you finally get a IIGS?

I had lost countless Atari xegs and commodore sx-64 on eBay.

#38 Tue, 3 Dec 2013 - 07:05 68kMLA

Did you finally get a IIGS?

I was able to acquire two WOZ Limited Edition ones over the past year. One was an eBay find, and the other was on Kijiji. Both are in good cosmetic and working condition.

Mind you, neither of these systems are complete. I'm still lacking a monitor, software, accelerator cards, and a 5.25" drive (I have a 3.5" though).

I'll probably post some pics of them in the Conquests forum during the Christmas break. I also need to update my sig, as certain machines have been sold off.