Commodore C65 Serial No 3

Published 16 May 2024

In 2017, a rare piece of computing history captured the attention of collectors and vintage computer enthusiasts worldwide. A Commodore C65 prototype, marked with the serial number 3, sold for a staggering $18,350 on eBay. This sale highlights the intense demand for these elusive machines among affluent collectors and computer museums.

Ebay Listing: Wayback

The eBay listing was sparse, featuring only a handful of photos and a brief description. The seller noted that this particular Commodore C65 lacked a VIC-III chip, rendering it non-functional. Despite this, the motherboard—a revision 2A board—bore the markings "3" and "D3." Other essential components like the 4510, DMAgic, FDC, RAM, ROM, and SID were intact.

The seller speculated that this prototype might have seen use in Commodore's lab, as evidenced by solvent stains near the floppy drive. These blemishes were purely cosmetic but added a layer of authenticity and intrigue to the machine's storied past.

The VIC-III chip, a key feature of the Commodore C65, offered near 16-bit graphics capabilities in an 8-bit machine. However, the rarity of this chip raises questions about the future operability of such prototypes. Without a VIC-III chip, this particular C65 might remain a non-functional yet fascinating artifact of computing history.

The 2017 eBay sale of this Commodore C65 prototype underscores the enduring allure of vintage computing and the lengths to which collectors will go to secure these rare pieces of technology.

Described as a Commodore C65 for sale in the listing as:

The motherboard is a revision 2A board with the number "3" written on it in one spot and "D3" written in another spot. The computer is missing the VIC-III chip so it is non-functional. The 4510, DMAgic, FDC, RAM, ROM and SID sockets are populated with the correct chips.

The seller says that he was told that this particular Commodore C65 prototype was probably used in the lab at Commodore as there are a few solvent stains on the case near the floppy drive as shown in the photos. They are described as being cosmetic in nature.

The VIC-III chip is one of the more interesting aspects of the Commdore C65 design, giving near 16-bit computer graphics capabilities in an 8-bit machine. We are not aware of the availability of the VIC-III chips. If the VIC-III chips are very rare then it may never be possible to get this particular machine operational in the future.