My price for PPC Macs has ranged from $0(for quite a few of mine) to $200(including shipping) for something I really wanted.
As many folks on here might have inferred(if I've not explicitly stated), I'm pretty heavily involved in collecting certain antiques and other "old stuff" that don't quite(yet) qualify as antiques using the "100 year old" definition. In particular, I'm pretty active in antique American pocket watches, and also dabble in Smith and Wesson revolvers(as well as Colts revolvers and Winchester rifles to a much lesser extent). I have a cursory knowledge of coins, and have refreshed myself some recently in trying to liquidate some pieces that belonged to my late Grandfather.
With many items, you often get into "diminishing returns" to a certain extent when chasing high condition examples. For many Smith and Wessons, the price difference between one in 95% and one in 99% condition is about double, while an 80% condition example("shooter grade" in the trade) is often 1/2 to 3/4 the price of a 95% example. Back in the fall, I bought an S&W model of 1899 in 32-20("32 Winchester Ctg") with about 30% of the original finish. By most metrics used in that collecting world, this is a rare gun with a production of 5000. Mine was mechanically sound and complete(there is a cosmetic often missing that mine had), and I paid $200 for it although I had to drop another $75 on original, era-appropriate grips. I was thrilled with it(and love going to the range and getting better groups than the Glock fanboys with my 116 year old gun), but many other collectors told me they wouldn't have touched it. That's just how it is. One in even 80% condition would have probably been 2-3 times as expensive.
I've spend the last week or so trying to peddle an 1885 Carson City dollar. All Carson City dollars are valuable-at least compared to other Morgan dollars-but the 1885 is about #5 on the list of hardest to find dates in this range. I really don't know the condition of the example I'm trying to sell, and it takes years of study to accurately grade these things. An 1885 CC in MS-63 condition is roughly a $700 coin. Move up to MS-65(which is really a tiny difference in condition, all said and done) and you're looking at roughly a $1200 coin. That's the reason why I'm going to spend $60 to have it professionally graded
PPC Macs(with certain exceptions) haven't yet reached collectible status in the way a lot of other things have, but I think what we're seeing here is an example that's far nicer than usually seen both just in physical condition and in overall completeness. I think this is difficult to assign a price to, and I won't begrudge the OP paying the price on it. It is more than I would have paid, but I really don't think the price is terribly out of line as some would think.
At the end of the day, the OP is obviously thrilled with the purchase, and that's what matters.
Well-said; I am sure this PowerBook will REALLY be something in the near future. And if the OP is happy with it, then--hey--good for him. I do agree that he got a very nice Mac, which is certainly a marvel in itself. Personally, I wouldn't spend that on a PowerPC Mac, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the OP is in the wrong.
