PC Engine rarities

I’ve started adding “Rarity” ratings to PCE games. This is based chiefly off Akihabara prices and the experiences of the assorted collectors I know over in Japan. It’s not meant to be fabulously scientific, but I think it’s interesting to see nonetheless and could generate some discussion.

My definition of “rarity” is simply how hard a game is to obtain. I don’t factor anything like print runs or how hot or sought-after a title is. My ratings:
“Common” — You shouldn’t have to pay more than 500 yen for a complete example, if that.
“Uncommon” — Still cheap but you may have to hunt a little. Expect to pay 1000 yen and up in the collector circuit.
“Rare” — It’s a good day if you get one of these. Generally expect to pay 4000-5000 yen and up in the collector circuit.
“Extremely Rare” — Public release games that are impressive finds in the wild and regularly go for over 10,000 yen among collectors.
“Unbelievably Rare” — Contest prizes or other extremely low-run releases. Japanese collectors need these to complete their libraries and therefore run prices up to the moon and beyond.