It is worth this calculator more than $2500?

[Gonzalo Fernandez (Spain)]

See link

[DaveJ]

That's almost $3600 Australian dollars, that is INSANE!

If bought as an investment/resell then surely there would be very little chance of an upside and only an eventual (big?) downside. Crazy.

If bought for use as a usable tool, then that's even crazier.

If bought to complete a collection etc and the person has plenty of cash to throw around, then fair enough, but I find it puzzling there would be so many bidders willing to pay very serious money for this thing. There are half a dozen bidders over EU$1000.

Can anyone explain this at all?

Dave.

[Martin Pinckney]

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If bought to complete a collection etc and the person has plenty of cash to throw around, then fair enough...

Can anyone explain this at all?

Dave.

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You answered your own question.

[DaveJ]

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You answered your own question.

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I don't think I did. You sniped the interesting part:

"but I find it puzzling there would be so many bidders willing to pay very serious money for this thing. There are half a dozen bidders over EU$1000."

Now, one or two crazy cashed-up collectors I can understand, but half a dozen or so?

I'm not entirely up on the collectable market (is there something incredibly special about this one?), but people don't even pay anywhere near these crazy prices for arguably more collectable machines.

Dave.

[Walter B]

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Now, one or two crazy cashed-up collectors I can understand, but half a dozen or so?

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You'll find enough heads visiting this forum, and there are some more folks floating around outside. (For sake of clarity: I didn't take part in this auction).

[Raymond Del Tondo]

A few years ago, a Japanese eBayer bought a boxed HP-01 for about US $4500,

and that was at a time when the USD was worth much more than today,

and despite the fact that there exist many more HP-01 units than W&W HP-41CY Turbo units.

Also don't forget that most of you didn't even _know_ that something like a CY was ever made;-)

HTH

[DaveJ]

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Also don't forget that most of you didn't even _know_ that something like a CY was ever made;-)

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Now that poses an interesting question. Does that make it *generally* more collectable in that case? Or is the calculator collectable market more limited to the mass produced items more familiar to the collectors?

If more unique and obscure units are more valuable (as this auction seems to demonstrate), could you increase the value of your collection by modifying units? :->

I can see the eBay ad now: "This is the worlds only example of a custom produced HPxx running at X.xx MHz with a red racing stripe!"

Dave.

[Michael de Estrada]

Actually, it was worth a lot more to the winning bidder, since he or she placed 4 additional higher bids. It looks to me like this may be a special case of a unique and very rare custom item, which might justify the price. I've seen this sort of thing with autos, where one-off custom-built specials command much higher prices at auction.

Michael

[db (martinez, ca.)]

When it was new, the whole package was worth what, maybe $1300 or so? Factoring in inflation, minus some for wear; the buyer still got a bargain and the seller lost a bit but got to use the tool for 25 years. I don't need that setup for my 41 but it looks like a win/win for them. I'd sure hate to spend that much for 30 year old technology but it's a 41. It does everything and does it in RPN.

[Namir]

In as much as a fan of the 41 line that I am, I would say that $2500 is way too much. I keep things in focus and ask myself about the computational power of the 41CY compared with the CPU power of computers today. I have a power-user desktop (which I call Hercules) that performs calculations that seemed to be in the realm of science fiction 30 years ago!!! No calculator exists that can be in any shape or form, in the same league of my Hercules.

Namir

[Garth Wilson]

There's a lot more to the practical usefulness of such a calculator than raw computing power, which is why I use my 41cx far more than my 71's, and why I use it every day even though I also have a modern PC. I'd like to have a 41CY, but not to the tune of $2500.

[DaveJ]

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There's a lot more to the practical usefulness of such a calculator than raw computing power, which is why I use my 41cx far more than my 71's, and why I use it every day even though I also have a modern PC. I'd like to have a 41CY, but not to the tune of $2500.

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Are there not modern replacements, like an iPhone with a 41 emulator?

Dave.

[Egan Ford]

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Are there not modern replacements, like an iPhone with a 41 emulator?

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This is probably a rhetorical question, but I'll answer anyway.

Yes. If you can get past the physical keyboard, then i41CX+ on the iPhone/iTouch is a very good 41CX replacement. The 5X adjustable speed bump, built-in printer, module support, and the ability to backup and restore flags, registers, state, and programs makes this a very viable 41CX (or multiple with state backup/restore). i41CX+ also works in the dark (and full sun), supports overlays, and programs/modules can be downloaded (http) and uploaded (email). Lastly HEPAX support may be available soon. And, with the to-be-released iPhone 3.0 OS with dock connector API it may be possible to integrate JFG's PILBox with the iPhone and add HP-IL.

Yes there are alternatives.

Edited: 13 Apr 2009, 10:54 a.m.

[Michael de Estrada]

I think the issue here is whether this particular item should be considered a collectable and rare antique or a practical modern appliance. Therein lies the true value. Why would someone pay 100 times as much for an HP-35 Red Dot with ROM bugs and bulky NiCads, than something far more useful that can be purchased in any store? To me, the Red Dot is an antique and nothing more, however, I regard my HP-48SX as a modern appliance, which is why I recently upgraded to a HP-50g. That is also why I will not pay the very high prices currently being asked for the HP-42S, and am perfectly happy with Free42.

[Garth Wilson]

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Are there not modern replacements, like an iPhone with a 41 emulator?

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I want to be able to use it as a controller to a dozen IEEE-488 lab instruments at once like you can a 41. I also want full control, which I don't feel I can have with a huge GUI OS turning me into an appliance operator. I also want the stability you don't get in consumer products that are here today and gone tomorrow that require transferring and adpating everything to a new system so frequently. I've had certain programs in my 41 continuously for nearly 20 years.

[DaveJ]

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I want to be able to use it as a controller to a dozen IEEE-488 lab instruments at once like you can a 41. I also want full control, which I don't feel I can have with a huge GUI OS turning me into an appliance operator. I also want the stability you don't get in consumer products that are here today and gone tomorrow that require transferring and adpating everything to a new system so frequently. I've had certain programs in my 41 continuously for nearly 20 years.

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In that case an old DOS PC you can pick up anywhere for free is by far the cheapest solution for IEEE-488 control. It's not uncommon for DOS programs to stay up and running for a decade or more, the limitation essentially being the power supply reliability.

No need to use your expensive HP41 for that.

Dave.

[Garth Wilson]

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In that case an old DOS PC you can pick up anywhere for free is by far the cheapest solution for IEEE-488 control. It's not uncommon for DOS programs to stay up and running for a decade or more, the limitation essentially being the power supply reliability.

No need to use your expensive HP41 for that.

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Actually, in addition to my modern PC, I do still use an old DOS one for some things. I also want the handheld's portability though. Even though the lab instruments aren't portable, the 41 or 71 can be disconnected in an instant to go from the workbench to my desk to the attache case and you can work on your project on the commuter train home, taking up a lot less room than a laptop and booting nearly instantly.

[Michael de Estrada]

Garth,

I have a new National Instruments AT bus IEEE-488-2 controller card with MS-DOS software, DOS reference manual and AT-GPIB firmware documentation if you are interested. It is circa 1991 and also supports 16-bit Windows 3.1. Send me an email if you are interested.

Michael

[Namir]

Using resource-rich PCs allows me to explore complex algorithms to solve very hard nonlinear regression problems that NO calculator can even touch. Being able to venture in such areas of new algorithms is an opportunity that I cherish. Portability in my case, is not an issue.

At the end of the day, my money goes to the computing devises that DO DELIVER!

Namir

[Juergen Keller]

... at least I wouldn't sell mine for EUR 2000.- :-)

The problem is that there are more people that want to buy a 41CY than there are 41CY for sale, so it's simply a matter of demand and supply. That's capitalism in its essence, may the money be with you!

[Gonzalo Fernandez (Spain)]

Can a calculator collection be considered an investment? I don´t think so, is not the same collecting old watches, stamps, coins or paints than collecting calculators.

[Geoff Quickfall]

Only he can tell us the 'Why'.

I use the HP41CX extensively at work and at home as a brain teaser. I have outfitted it with a Clonix, double x-memory, IR transmitter for printing and numerous modules for fun and use.

I probably have overstepped the boundary of what others would be willing to invest with respect to time and money. In fact, I purchased a spare for when I go back to school as my self created programs still apply to my field and program running time is not a factor.

I also restore watches, over 150 of them so far. These are only going to be an investment when I start selling them (after retirement). I have done my homework on type and complication, that employs the most fun for repair and the highest return in future sales. The only unkown is whether anyone will want a museum restored, mechanical watch in the future?

So back to the buyer, as an earlier poster said, if you have the money to play then play. For me the CY would finish my HP 41CX series off perfectly.

So the question is, does anyone have a spare CY for sale for under $200 that they are willing to sell? Mainly because it means nothing to them including the possibility of a $2500 sale?

Drop me a line and make a quick $200 ;-)

That's my 2 cents!!!

Geoff

[Ángel Martin]

What we need is a remake of the 41CY, thousands of new units flooding the marketplace... that'll do it! ;-)

[Walter B]

I wouldn't go back so far:

Ceterum censeo: HP, launch a 43S.

Walter

[Thomas Klemm]

It seems criminals are willing to pay a lot more for electronic scrap:

Kriminelle zahlen 25.000 Euro für Nokia-Handy aus Bochum

Criminals pay 25,000 euros for Nokia mobile phone from Bochum

Best regards

Thomas

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

This is probably a hoax: Comment.