Brand new sealed ibook G3 Clamshell

[CooperBox]

Just been watching THIS video. Unboxing of a sealed iBook Clamshell. Good entertainment, unfortunately spoilt by a way-over-the-top blond, (good to be seen but not heard)!
Was a fairly unique piece (the clamshell, not the blond) - until it was opened.
Just for discussion purposes:
i) If this had been given to you, would you have opened it, or kept it intact?
ii) Couldn't help wondering how much an unopened example would be worth. What would you pay for one....?
The nearest I could come to a partially boxed example was recorded HERE two years ago. Needless to say I still have it.

 

[redheeler]

I wouldn't have opened it, instead put the sealed box on display as I have done with a few NIB Macs from 2009-2011 (these are already hard to find despite being a decade newer). But there's also an argument to be made that it shouldn't stay in the box and decay forever.

 

[AL1630]

I'm a bit torn between the two options. The collector in me wants to keep it sealed, but the enthusiast wants to see it be used. Although, Clamshell G3s aren't exactly the most versatile of PowerPCs, so it would probably spend most of it's time on a shelf anyway. (That's what mine is being used for, unfortunately) Since it's sealed in mint condition, might as well keep it that way. There's plenty of opened ones out there.

 

[redheeler]

Since it's sealed in mint condition, might as well keep it that way. There's plenty of opened ones out there.

I completely agree. Especially in the case of my sealed 2007 Mac mini (manufactured in early 2009), there are plenty of used ones on eBay for well below $100, so no point whatsoever in taking it out of the box.

But things are slightly different for the YouTuber. They have the ability to preserve the moment of unboxing to be viewed and appreciated by thousands or millions of people.

 

[z970]

-

 

[Kliee]

Just been watching THIS video. Unboxing of a sealed iBook Clamshell. Good entertainment, unfortunately spoilt by a way-over-the-top blond, (good to be seen but not heard)!
Was a fairly unique piece (the clamshell, not the blond) - until it was opened.
Just for discussion purposes:
i) If this had been given to you, would you have opened it, or kept it intact?
ii) Couldn't help wondering how much an unopened example would be worth. What would you pay for one....?
The nearest I could come to a partially boxed example was recorded HERE two years ago. Needless to say I still have it.

I would have opened and used it, I don't worship cardboard boxes. The nostalgic experience of the opening is completed by using the machine.
This was meant to be used, not seat in a box.

As for the price, up to the original value as they are getting collectible and a NIB would just be a must.

 

[dbdjre0143]

Watched that video this morning. Despite the slightly over-the-top presentation, it was really cool to see what a NIB specimen looks like. I'm with (some of) y'all in saying that if I had one sealed like that, I would definitely open it, but keep everything _like_ new so that I could repackage it as original when not in use (except for the seal of course). For example, I would not have peeled the plastic protector off the Apple logo.

To each his own. I just think its really cool to have something that old just as if its brand new, but I also want it to be functional. Guess I'm straddling the fence in this case. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The closest personal example I can think of is that I have a sealed copy of Ms. Pac-Man for the Atari 7800 on display in my den. Its a fairly common title, not worth a lot or anything, but I have a loose copy as well, so I have no intention of ever opening the sealed one.

 

[pl1984]

My only concern with leaving it in the box is the expiration of the batteries (clock and normal battery). Not sure if they'd leak and potentially cause damage to the system. Likewise I'm not sure how much additional value sealed would bring. There were a lot of them sold therefore they're not really collectible at this time. Perhaps in another fifteen years they might have some value but not anything that, IMO, would be significant.

 

[bobesch]

Macs are made to be used ... I'd open the box as my very personal experience.
Maybe, if I'd have the same model in use, I'd look inside but leave it the box afterwards and unbox it as often.as I wish.
Life is short -I don't see any deeper sense in keeping things tucked away unseen in a sealed box.

 

[redheeler]

Likewise I'm not sure how much additional value sealed would bring. There were a lot of them sold therefore they're not really collectible at this time. Perhaps in another fifteen years they might have some value but not anything that, IMO, would be significant.

The value of something like a sealed iBook Clamshell entirely depends on the collector who finds it. For example, earlier this year I saw a sealed 2011 17" MacBook Pro go for more than its original retail price on eBay. I wouldn't have bought it for the price, but someone else thought it was worthwhile as Apple no longer makes a 17" MacBook Pro.

Macs are made to be used ... I'd open the box as my very personal experience.
Maybe, if I'd have the same model in use, I'd look inside but leave it the box afterwards and unbox it as often.as I wish.
Life is short -I don't see any deeper sense in keeping things tucked away unseen in a sealed box.

Look for one in good condition and complete in box, they are usually easier to find and cheaper compared to a sealed one.

With a sealed one, breaking the seal and unboxing for the first time is not an experience you can repeat.

 

[1042686]

I wouldn’t break the seal. I’d just buy another I could open & close to my hearts content.

And that video is annoying AF. Couldn’t make it through. Grown men/women children ... just woof.

 

[bobesch]

Well, a keeping something, I'd like to hold in my hands and enjoy in a sealed box is just a crazy collector thing IMO.
And unboxing/boxing it as long as I wish would be more joy than to have a sealed box sitting in the shelves.
For sure, I won't ever find such a precious and/or it's horrendes price would keep me away from even thiniking about to buy it.

 

[pl1984]

The value of something like a sealed iBook Clamshell entirely depends on the collector who finds it. For example, earlier this year I saw a sealed 2011 17" MacBook Pro go for more than its original retail price on eBay. I wouldn't have bought it for the price, but someone else thought it was worthwhile as Apple no longer makes a 17" MacBook Pro.

Without knowing the price I can't really comment whether I would consider the price paid significant or not. However I get the impression if it met my definition of significant then you would have mentioned the price as it would have been noteworthy.

For reference my idea of significant would be the prices being paid for an Apple I or original Lisa with Twiggy drives.
[doublepost=1537919023][/doublepost]

Well, a keeping something, I'd like to hold in my hands and enjoy in a sealed box is just a crazy collector thing IMO.
And unboxing/boxing it as long as I wish would be more joy than to have a sealed box sitting in the shelves.
For sure, I won't ever find such a precious and/or it's horrendes price would keep me away from even thiniking about to buy it.

IMO the reason to keep something NIB is for it to appreciate as a collectors item. It's my opinion this will not qualify as a collectors item for a very long (longer than our lifetime), if ever, time.

 

[redheeler]

Without knowing the price I can't really comment whether I would consider the price paid significant or not. However I get the impression if it met my definition of significant then you would have mentioned the price as it would have been noteworthy.

For reference my idea of significant would be the prices being paid for an Apple I or original Lisa with Twiggy drives.

If you're talking about upwards of $5,000, then yes, it's unlikely a collector is going to pay that for any NIB Apple laptop with the possible exception of the Macintosh Portable.

Doesn't stop some eBay sellers from trying, though.

 

[pl1984]

If you're talking about upwards of $5,000, then yes, it's unlikely a collector is going to pay that for any NIB Apple laptop with the possible exception of the Macintosh Portable.

Doesn't stop some eBay sellers from trying, though.

Wow! What a coincidence that I should bring up the Apple-1:

Functional Apple-1 Computer Sells for $375,000 at Auction

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/09/25/apple-1-computer-earns-375000-at-auction/

 

[eddjedi]

As somebody who collects sealed video games and NOS video game consoles, this video makes me sad. There are a huge number of perfectly good used systems out there to tinker with. Now there is one less unused one. These things will be historically important in the future, nobody cared about renaissance paintings 300 years ago either.

I get the argument people often use of "these were made to be used", and that's true, so why not play with one that's already been used? It's really not hard to find one on eBay even in near mint condition. IMO these kind of videos are purely to try and agitate collectors who appreciate unused/sealed examples.

Back to your original question, I would have loved this, and happily paid $500 for it. I would probably have opened it to remove the battery as they can cause huge damage if they leak, but I certainly wouldn't have used it or unwrapped it all.

If anyone is interested, here is my collection of NOS video game consoles:

http://www.vintageconsoles.co.uk

Ignore the prices, I did used to buy and sell a lot of consoles but now none of them are for sale. I have just kept it as a 'shop' as it encourages people to contact me to sell me their consoles (I have bought quite a few through my site.)
[doublepost=1537967831][/doublepost]I forgot to add, if this video does serve one purpose, it shows how beautiful NOS computers are and why I collect them. There is a big difference aesthetically between a computer that's had a hard life and one that has never been used, and that's why I collect them - the nostalgia factor is greater as they look how I remember them looking, not tired old pieces of junk.

 

[bobesch]

[...] Now there is one less unused one. These things will be historically important in the future, nobody cared about renaissance paintings 300 years ago either. [...]
Back to your original question, I would have loved this, and happily paid $500 for it. I would probably have opened it to remove the battery as they can cause huge damage if they leak, but I certainly wouldn't have used it or unwrapped it all.

Finally came to watch the video today after I spend the last few days with my iMac-G3 and had been too lazy to fire up a "new" machine or watch on iOS. (To make a long story short: I like it!)
LOL about the discussion about unboxing "sealed" NIB: that NIB comes in a worned out box closed with a single sticky-tape and holds another box sealed with another tiny sticky tape and the Clamshell in a plastic bag, that has to be opened to remove the battery in order to prevent any damage.
Holy crap - that boxed Clamshell won't take any harm from getting hands on it. And it even comes cracked in the box, hahaha... I don't believe, unboxing and carefully storing all accessories will have an effect on the price-tag for reselling (which I don't care about at all - I'm happy having fun an maybe get my money back)
Anyway, it's real fun to see it booting up the first time and listen to the nice intro-music. You may repeat this first wow-effect again and again by simply popping in the System-Restore media and reinstall the original os9-setting.
Think about renaissance paintings hidden in box and rotting in dark cellars ... paintings need to be shown and computers need to compute and both need TLC ...

 

[Tinmania]

Good entertainment, unfortunately spoilt by a way-over-the-top blond, (good to be seen but not heard)!

That "way-over-the-top blond" is iJustine, who has been a tech lover for a decade or so. She has earned her tech cred as far as I am concerned.

 

[bobesch]

That "way-over-the-top blond" is iJustine, who has been a tech lover for a decade or so. She has earned her tech cred as far as I am concerned.

... and, as I understood, had her personal reencounter with an old "companion" (the clamshell)
Actually a nice story ...

 

[pl1984]

I finally watched the video too. That didn't appear to be NIB to me.

 

[bobesch]

I finally watched the video too. That didn't appear to be NIB to me.

Ii might be, 'cause inside everything looks pretty clean, but maybe someone offered his iBook, box and accessories in a kind of well preserved box.
Nevertheless those ridiculous three seals wouldn't keep me off having a look inside ...

 

[pl1984]

Ii might be, 'cause inside everything looks pretty clean, but maybe someone offered his iBook, box and accessories in a kind of well preserved box.
Nevertheless those ridiculous three seals wouldn't keep me off having a look inside ...

Perhaps I'm using the incorrect terminology. When I say NIB I mean sealed, never opened but reflecting back on that meaning I realized that NIB doesn't have to mean sealed. Perhaps I should be using Sealed, In Box (SIB) instead.

 

[eddjedi]

I don't believe, unboxing and carefully storing all accessories will have an effect on the price-tag for reselling (which I don't care about at all - I'm happy having fun an maybe get my money back)

I don't have too much experience with NOS Macs, but I have bought and sold dozens of NOS games consoles over the last decade, and being unused makes a huge difference in value. As soon as you fire up that machine or untie those cables, that's half the value gone. I agree not all collectors want boxes to be sealed as they like to look inside, but they do like the items to be unused.

 

[bobesch]

I don't have too much experience with NOS Macs, but I have bought and sold dozens of NOS games consoles over the last decade, and being unused makes a huge difference in value. As soon as you fire up that machine or untie those cables, that's half the value gone. I agree not all collectors want boxes to be sealed as they like to look inside, but they do like the items to be unused.

Well, the difference is ones point of view: is it an object of fun or speculation... mine is not the latter! (and I assume, that iJustine was driven by her childhood memories of that magic Clamshell AKA Barbies Toilet Seat )

 

[pl1984]

Given there are many examples of open boxed units I see little reason to open an unsealed unit. If you want to use one then buy one which has already been opened. Save the unopened units for those who would like to keep them sealed.