5 examples of Atari’s presence at auction
It was 45 years ago today (Nov. 29) that Atari unveiled the video game Pong. We look at five times Atari was represented at auction.
It’s been 45 years today (Nov. 30) since Atari brought forth the iconic video game Pong, pioneering the early generation of video games. If you were a child in the 1970s and 1980s you likely recall the fascination surrounding Pong. In addition, thinking back you may recall other Atari games like “Asteroids,” “Space Invaders,” “Air-Sea Battle,” “Berzerk,” and “Dig Dug”.
In honor of the 45th anniversary of the debut of Pong, and 45th anniversary of the incorporation of Atari, back in the summer of 1972, we offer these five moments when Atari made history.
Atari's Rise From Pong to the 1980s Powerhouse
In 2014, the company became a media highlight following the discovery of a 'buried treasure'. This is far from how people saw the game, which is deemed a flop by many. According to an article appearing in Rolling Stone, citing information from the documentary “Atari: Game Over,” during the excavation of a site in New Mexico in the spring of 2014, nearly 900 cartridges of the video game E.T. the Extra Terrestrial Atari were discovered. In just over a year, several had been sold at auction. The most paid for one of the single game cartridges at auction is $1,535.
Check out a clip from an interview about the documentary...
-- Back when Steve Jobs was just 19 and working in the trenches related to early gaming he penned a memo and instructions for improving the football game World Cup. His memo appearing on Atari letterhead, with Jobs’ signature and a Buddhist mantra, along with drawings of the suggestions he had for the gaming improvements sold for $27,500 during a 2012 auction at Sotheby’s.
• An original Atari 2600 promotional game set still sealed in its original box, will come to auction Dec. 17 through Dan Morphy Auctions.
-- A 23 by 36 inch poster promoting Star Wars: Jedi Arena, and The Empire Strikes Back, released for play on the 2600 game system, sold for $454 during Heritage Auctions’ March 2016 auction.
Finally, enjoy a retro review of an early Atari commercial from the 1980s…
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