Found something *weird* in a care package, what's it worth?

[sebastianpalm7]

Hi! I just unpacked a care package from a friend in high places (works at a well known software developer) which contained, just as an "I'll throw this in just for kicks as it's just wasting space", which he said was an Intel Xeon E5 2697 V2, 12-core Sandy Bridge E cpu. Now, I know the rules, check ebay, but... this one has some interesting markings on it:

i (m) (c) 10
INTEL CONFIDENTIAL
QB7S ES 2.9GHZ
COSTA RICA
3127B418 (symbol I don't know)

Along the edge of the heat spreader, there's a sticker that says

SANDY EP 2.9G/20M/1600 136W C0 QB/S

According to my friend, it's an engineering sample, and it's in working order, but I have no way of testing it because I don't have an X79 board.

A regular, series produced one, goes for 450-500 dollars on Ebay, and I've seen *non working* ones for 400. But what about this thing? Is it even sellable without getting into trouble?

I am not a collector, and I don't have the cash to get this thing running (X79 mainboards are ruinously expensive if I can find one at all),[strike] so I'm selling it [/strike] (see below) but I need to know how much to look for.

Edit: Looking at Ark.intel.com, the mystery deepens because I can find no Xeon CPU with the combination of 20 M cache and 2.9 GHZ clock, and all the 20 M models are 8-core and not 12-core. Now I'm really confused as to what this thing is...

Cheers!

 

[bignastyid]

Your "friend" just sent you what is essentially stolen goods. Intel's engineering samples are property of Intel, being in possession of one without their permission is not legal and selling it is most definitely illegal and Intel does actively look for people selling them and will press charges.

 

[sebastianpalm7]

OK, fair enough. Expensive paperweight it is. Don't think they're interested in getting something that's this old back given how it's long been superseded but if you think that's the best option?

Update: Have been in touch with the local Intel office, I'm sending it their way tomorrow.