Value of shrinkwrapped items

[GE]

Hello, there is an HP15C Advanced Functions Manual offered for sale in the Advertising section here.

The ad says that shrinkwrapped items are worth quite a lot, so my question is whether you value the "shrinkwrapped" state. Actually I got the very same manual recently in the same state and refrained from removing that damn plastic with that very question in mind.

This is very frustrating, and I am tempted to open it (will probably never be on sale, anyway). What should I do ?

[Bram]

How I know this feeling!

I'm very curious about these
programming pads. Are they of great value just because they're in a somewhat torn, but nevertheless still unopend packing? For the moment I left them in the original state, although in fact they're now of no value to me.



Let's hear your offers. To know their value ;-)

Quote:

---

What should I do ?

---

Difficult. I myself would reject the statement that the package increases the value, though it may not lower the price.

I buy the wine, not the bottle.

[Dia C. Tran]

If you leave it in the shrink wrap you may resell it for more money. Otherwise, I don't see much point in collecting stuff that doesn't work. Well it can't work if it's in the packaging can it?

[Tony Duell]

All I can tell you is what I did.

About 15 years ago I managed to buy an original HP71B _service manual_ in the shrinkwrap at an HPCC conference.

I then amazed everyone present by ripping off the shrinkwrap and reading the manual. Several people told me I'd ruined the value.

My reply was simple. I'd not bought that manual as an investment. I'd bought it to learn how HP71s work, and how to fix them. And I couldn't do that when the manual was shrinkwrapped.

[Ron Ross]

And thus adding value to Tony Duell, no doubt!

[Palmer O. Hanson, Jr.]

I have a couple of shrink-wrapped manuals, but only when I already have one that I use. That is the case with my wrapped hp 33s manual. I also have some old paper goods such as programming forms still in the original cellophane packaging. The advantage that I see in keeping some of that material is that eventually the paper goods which have been removed from packaging begin to yellow and curl on the edges. To see the aging effect more clearly you need to look at some of the old slide rule manuals.

The amount of deterioration depends upon the makeup of the paper and the care in storage. My HP-67 manuals came with a used calculator and have discoloratioon on the edges, curling edges and damage from use. My HP-11 and HP-12 manuals are still like new -- primarily because I never used those machines very much.