Are old AOL discs worth anything?

Are old AOL discs worth anything?

They are only worth something to people who collect them. To the general public they are useless, not worth anything.” For years, AOL’s discs were saved by only a handful of hardcore collectors.

What were the AOL CDs?

In 1993 AOL began mailing discs to prospective customers in one of the largest and most aggressive direct-mail campaigns ever. Discs contained the software needed to use AOL and provided a few hours of free service. This 3.5-inch floppy disk was mailed around 1995, and included fifteen hours of free AOL access.

Was AOL free in the 90s?

During the early 1990s, the average subscription lasted for about 25 months and accounted for $350 in total revenue. Advertisements invited modem owners to “Try America Online FREE”, promising free software and trial membership. AOL discontinued Q-Link and PC Link in late 1994.

When did AOL go unlimited?

AOL, whose subscribers faced a barrage of busy signals when it shifted to an unlimited use plan in December 1996, said it is raising the fee to $21.95 a month to keep pace with the cost of the increased usage. The change takes effect in April.

How many CD’s does AOL own?

The marketing effort allegedly cornered half of the world’s CD market. That’s a lot of free hours. And a lot of leftover CDs, too. The most prolific collector owns more than 4,000 unique AOL discs, Pardes reports.

How much did AOL spend on trial discs?

It’s been so long since AOL blanketed every surface of the known world with trial discs, it’s easy to forget them — or underestimate their ubiquity. During its quest for dial-up Internet domination, AOL’s former chief marketing officer Jan Brandt estimates that the company spent more than $300 million handing out all those free trials.

How much is an AOL floppy disk worth?

In 2002, the company even auctioned off collectible discs for upwards of $400. Niche connoisseurs of the World Wide Web aren’t the only ones who treasure these tech artifacts. The Internet Archive wants them, and the National Museum of American History even has an AOL floppy disk on exhibit.

When did AOL get rid of the disc campaign?

By 2006, the disc campaign was being phased out, as customers’ online habits changed—though there are still an estimated 2.1 million users clinging on to AOL’s near-extinct dial-up technology.