Collector Stories - Verify Before Buying, Dumbass

You know how hard it is for me to not make stupid, impulsive purchases on eBay? Just before I started writing this, I had to talk myself out of a bidding war for a copy of Lethal Enforcers on the Sega Genesis - a game that I don't particularly like, but I wanted it because it came in the big box with the gun controller and everything. It's badass. But I had to force myself to say "No, I don't need it." But dammit, I want it. Anyway...

It's hard for me, as a collector, to pass up what I think is a really good deal. Especially if it's a friggin' awesome deal, like getting a game that's worth a thousand bucks for fifteen bucks because the seller doesn't know what he has. Let me explain...

Sonic The Hedgehog on the Sega Master System is a very common game in the European market, but given the commercial failure of the Master System in the North American market, there are very few copies of it made for the American market. Therefore, American copies of the game are extremely valuable. Like, a thousand dollars valuable. But European copies go for the equivalent of about five bucks, tops. And that's complete in the case, not loose. It's more common than dirt over there.

So, what's the difference between the two versions of the game? Nothing in terms of gameplay, or even the design of the cartridge or case. So, how can you tell the two versions apart?

The most expensive sticker ever.

You see that UPC sticker? That's the only difference. A sticker on the case. It's not even a part of the case itself. That sticker increases the value of the game 200 times over. And the kicker? That sticker is very easily counterfeited.

I bought this game on eBay, believing it to be the rare as hell American version of Sonic for the Master System. At the time, I had it confused about which version was the super expensive one, and after a small bit of research, I realized that I was an idiot. I bought it from a seller in England, and with the shipping, the price added up to about $13.

On one hand, I did see what may have been a UPC sticker on the back, exactly where it's supposed to be on the cartridge, and he didn't draw attention to it by mentioning it as the "SUPER RARE AMERICAN VERSION!!!" and his starting price was something like a single British pound. On the other hand, why the hell would an English seller have an American copy of this game? If it is the American version, it's unlikely that he counterfeited it, because why would he do that and then not draw attention to it while selling it and ask for a higher price?

I don't know. Regardless, it's not something I'm going to be able to sell, because it is so easy to counterfeit, that no collector would trust a seller's word on it unless they knew them, trusted them and could verify that the seller is the original owner. I can do none of that. Also, the seller is in a region of the world where the cheapo version can be found without any trouble.

At least I didn't get ripped off. Worst case scenario, I got a big name game for a console that I only have a small collection of games for. Best case scenario, I have a super rare game that I can't verify the rarity of, and therefore probably can't sell for more than a couple of bucks if I ever want to. I feel stupid, but I can't complain much. If I ever wanted the game, I wasn't going to get it for the market value. The price of shipping from Europe guaranteed that I'd be spending at least twice that price. I paid about the expected price.

I'll post an update when I get the game in the mail. The projected date of arrival is between the 15th and 17th of July.