Chrono Trigger Price Study
This study is twofold: it is intended to gauge the price of Chrono Trigger on Ebay.com, where it is frequently sold, and valuate the "rarity" of the game, as it is frequently described as being hard to find. It was held during June 19 to June 25, 2006. For the price portion, the study documented the selling price of all items listed and ending before June 25, 2006. Additional items were counted in the rarity portion, which noted how many games were for sale at certain points in time. The Rarity Check only included North American versions of the games, and not Japanese / PAL versions or other merchandise (including sales of more than one game). Chrono Trigger was compared with other SNES game auctions for rarity; the games were selected to for varied genres and popularity. They include Final Fantasy 6 (another popular RPG), Mario Kart (a popular racing game), U.N. Squadron, Aerobiz, Breath of Fire (a popular RPG), Earthbound (a popular RPG), Madden Football '95, Super Empire Strikes Back, SimCity, and Sid Meier's Civilization (both popular strategy games). Each check was performed at 7:30 PM CST, and prices were recorded for these games (though not individually displayed) and averaged at the end of the study to compare with Chrono Trigger. Please note that in addition to these listings, many more informal retailers sold these games as Ebay sellers.
Rarity Checks
- June 19
- Chrono Trigger: 28 Listings (14 listed as rare, 50%)
- June 20
By Listings
- Mario Kart: 47 listings (5 listed as rare, 11%)
- Chrono Trigger: 30 listings (15 listed as rare, 50%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 21 listings (4 listed as rare, 19%)
- Breath of Fire: 20 listings (5 listed as rare, 25%)
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- Earthbound: 17 listings (10 listed as rare, 59%)
- SimCity: 7 listings
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Madden '95: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
By Rarity Labels
- Earthbound: 17 listings (10 listed as rare, 59%)
- Chrono Trigger: 30 listings (15 listed as rare, 50%)
- Breath of Fire: 20 listings (5 listed as rare, 25%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 21 listings (4 listed as rare, 19%)
- Mario Kart: 47 listings (5 listed as rare, 11%)
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Madden '95: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
- SimCity: 7 listings
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- June 21
By Listings
- Mario Kart: 44 listings (2 listed as rare, 5%)
- Chrono Trigger: 36 listings (15 listed as rare, 42%)
- Breath of Fire: 21 listings (7 listed as rare, 33%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 21 listings (2 listed as rare, 10%)
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- Earthbound: 15 listings (10 listed as rare, 67%)
- U.N. Squadron: 8 listings
- SimCity: 7 listings
- Madden '95: 3 listings
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
By Rarity Labels
- Earthbound: 15 listings (10 listed as rare, 67%)
- Chrono Trigger: 36 listings (15 listed as rare, 42%)
- Breath of Fire: 21 listings (7 listed as rare, 33%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 21 listings (2 listed as rare, 10%)
- Mario Kart: 44 listings (2 listed as rare, 5%)
- Madden '95: 3 listings
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
- SimCity: 7 listings
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- U.N. Squadron: 8 listings
- June 22
By Listings
- Mario Kart: 44 listings (3 listed as rare, 7%)
- Chrono Trigger: 36 listings (15 listed as rare, 42%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 22 listings (3 listed as rare, 14%)
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- Breath of Fire: 17 listings (5 listed as rare, 29%)
- Earthbound: 14 listings (9 listed as rare, 64%)
- SimCity: 10 listings (1 listed as rare, 10%)
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- Madden '95: 2 listings
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
By Rarity Labels
- Earthbound: 14 listings (9 listed as rare, 64%)
- Chrono Trigger: 36 listings (15 listed as rare, 42%)
- Breath of Fire: 17 listings (5 listed as rare, 29%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 22 listings (3 listed as rare, 14%)
- SimCity: 10 listings (1 listed as rare, 10%)
- Mario Kart: 44 listings (3 listed as rare, 7%)
- Madden '95: 2 listings
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- June 23
By Listings
- Mario Kart: 44 listings (3 listed as rare, 7%)
- Chrono Trigger: 36 listings (15 listed as rare, 42%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 22 listings (3 listed as rare, 14%)
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- Breath of Fire: 17 listings (5 listed as rare, 29%)
- Earthbound: 14 listings (9 listed as rare, 64%)
- SimCity: 10 listings (1 listed as rare, 10%)
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- Madden '95: 2 listings
- Aerobiz: 0 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
By Rarity Labels
- Earthbound: 14 listings (9 listed as rare, 64%)
- Chrono Trigger: 36 listings (15 listed as rare, 42%)
- Breath of Fire: 17 listings (5 listed as rare, 29%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 22 listings (3 listed as rare, 14%)
- SimCity: 10 listings (1 listed as rare, 10%)
- Mario Kart: 44 listings (3 listed as rare, 7%)
- Madden '95: 2 listings
- Aerobiz: 1 listing
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 1 listing
- Super Empire Strikes back: 19 listings
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- June 24
By Listings
- Mario Kart: 43 listings (1 listed as rare, 2%)
- Chrono Trigger: 35 listings (12 listed as rare, 34%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 26 listings (6 listed as rare, 23%)
- Breath of Fire: 22 listings (5 listed as rare, 23%)
- Earthbound: 18 listings (9 listed as rare, 50%)
- Super Empire Strikes back: 17 listings
- SimCity: 11 listings (1 listed as rare, 9%)
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 3 listings (2 listed as rare, 67%)
- Aerobiz: 2 listing (2 listed as rare, 100%)
- Madden '95: 2 listings
By Rarity Labels
- Aerobiz: 2 listing (2 listed as rare, 100%)
- Sid Meier's Civilization: 3 listings (2 listed as rare, 67%)
- Earthbound: 18 listings (9 listed as rare, 50%)
- Chrono Trigger: 35 listings (12 listed as rare, 34%)
- Final Fantasy 6: 26 listings (6 listed as rare, 23%)
- Breath of Fire: 22 listings (5 listed as rare, 23%)
- SimCity: 11 listings (1 listed as rare, 9%)
- Mario Kart: 43 listings (1 listed as rare, 2%)
- Madden '95: 2 listings
- Super Empire Strikes back: 17 listings
- U.N. Squadron: 7 listings
- June 25
Prices
Chrono Trigger
- June 19
- Cartridge Only / Marked Rare: $41.00
~
- Box Only: $49.99 (keep in mind, dumb buyers are prone to buying boxes without games or systems)
- Japanese Cartridge Only: Did not sell; relisted.
- June 20
~
- Box Only: $17.51
- June 21
- June 22
- Cartridge, Maps, Manual / Marked Rare: $45.00
~
Other Games (Averaged)
- Aerobiz: $34.58
Conclusion
Chrono Trigger is not rare; it is merely highly valued. While each listing did receive numerous bids, listings are frequent and the price is economical unless one is buying complete sets or factory sealed boxes (which may be a scam, as the box can simply be rewrapped). It is not hard to find and purchase this game. Additionally, compared to other SNES games considered popular by fans, Chrono Trigger is regularly sold in greater quantities, making it a very common game compared to its peers. Some other SNES games, such as F-Zero and Killer Instinct, are even auctioned with a beginning price of 1 cent -- such is the quantity available. The labeling of the game as rare is simply a ploy to attract more buyers and increase the perceived value of the game. As the rarity check displays, the most popular games of the lot were almost always the only ones listed as rare, despite being numerically superior in purchase opportunities. Chrono Trigger, despite being sold more often than all its peers except Mario Kart, was even listed as rare half the time. Even Mario Kart, which averaged the most listings, was still sometimes described as rare. By the numbers, Chrono Trigger is a fairly common game, and those wishing to buy it should exercise the same competitive thrift that would be given to other common items.
From: Games
