I have 'em. Chances are you have 'em. Along with 8-track tapes, vinyl records, and soon-to-be cassettes, many old computer disks are now obsolete and unusable on today's computers.

Are old computer disks worth very much?

One might be tempted to answer "not much" if you searched on general terms like "collectible computer disk." But a closer inspection reveals niche markets that can be quite devoted. For example, there are folks out there who collect AOL CDs by the hundreds, even thousands. There are over 2,000 different types and styles of AOL CDs. (Check out "CD Cult" at http://www.cdcult.com).

A search on eBay for AOL CDs would show you that some are selling, though prices remain fairly low. A Harry Potter CD is going for about $2. A lot consisting of seven AOL CDs went for $6.50, with 3 bids. This included 5 Harry Potter CDs and two Flamingo CDs. (With AOL CDs, it seems it's often the funky disc-art that matters most to collectors, and the wilder, the better.)

You might dismiss these prices as chump change until you realize that these things come in the mail (and cereal boxes, and software packages, etc.) for FREE. Not bad deal to make money off your junk mail, huh?

Some buyers are AOL disk aficionados, and others collect items relating to the person or thing on the disk. For example, some of the most popular listings are for disks that feature golfer Tiger Woods ($5). Foreign versions are also popular. A Mexican AOL disk is going for $5, as is an Australian disk.

Other folks who collect disks like the variety of colorful designs they come in. Unique or rare designs can fetch more money, as did a recent AOL 7.0 "Toucan in Jungle" CD Clamshell Case, selling on eBay for $4.25 with 3 bids with a couple hours left in the auction. One of the highest-priced AOL CD auctions was that of a pack of two mini-CDs, AOL ver. 3.0, which garnered $50 on eBay with 9 bids.

But what about other software? Recently, the highest-priced computer-disk-related auction on eBay consisted of a lot of a vintage computer and disks: a KAYPRO 2X PORTABLE COMPUTER +32 DISKS. That had one bid for $49. (The Kaypro was a classic computer from the early 80's. The listing includes a photo of Arthur C. Clarke using a Kaypro in his home in Sri Lanka, writing the script for the sequel to 2001, A Space Odyssey). And here's another blast-from-the-silicon-past that got a respectable bid: an "IBM DOS 2.1 NEAR MINT Vintage - Collectible" went for $49 on eBay.

eBay isn't the only game in town when it comes to collectible software, though. Check out this AOL member's site at http://members.aol.com/SWMORETP/collectiblesoftware.html It lists software by brand name and computer type, with a gaming focus. Sample manufacturers are Infocom, Sierra, Electronic Arts, SSI (makers of the popular "Dungeons and Dragons" software), and several others. The average price is around $19, with a current range of $10-$29.

So are you going to make a ton of money on really old "collectible" software?

After digging around for "collectible" software for a while now, I have come to the conclusion that you're probably better off making money on the not-so-old software. People who still have slightly old PCs (or who may have bought them used at a yard sale) are looking for slightly old software to run on them. For example, a recent auction on eBay for "Windows 95 for PCs without Windows" the full version, went for $102.50. Not bad! Maybe people are finally tired of shelling out thousands for new PCs and are looking to hang on to their older models a bit longer.

As for me, I'm a bit of a paradox. I'm be sitting here with my new DELL Pentium 4 with a stack of old 3.5 inch and 5 1/4 inch floppies by my side.