I don't know if I just didn't notice it before, but it seems recently like there are MANY people posting here looking to buy machines these days. For Sale posts seem less common and are quickly snapped up for the most part. I think it shows that there are more and more people entering into the hobby, and less and less machines around to be had. I think at least in Canada that bodes well for prices to head up going forward. Eventually once things stabilize in the States I think prices will spike there too. Maybe I bailed on the reselling business a little early........no I didn't!

I agree 100%. There is no volume to even set prices on for some of these machines anymore. A List forget it. Only thing you see moving around are the high production models.

Pinball machine is a fantastic acquisition. Peoples remove the boring pool table from the basement and install 2-3 pins and a home cinema !!  

There's nowhere to go but up. I don't see the collector market shrinking any time soon, if anything it'll get larger. On top of that, Stern isn't cranking out very many games anymore and we had a glut of WMS/Data East games being put onto the market from arcades that closed down over the past decade, and my guess is that they've run out.

So, more demand, less supply = higher prices. It's inevitable. If there's something you want, get it now

I think that we are seeing the beginning of a resurgence of pinball, in the home arcade form. Whereas 15 years ago or so, everyone had to turn their basement into a "home theatre", the new trend for people with resources, are to build a home arcade. The reason for the explosion of home theaters was simple,high prices, loudmouths and punks at movie theatres, and the closing of old fashioned type theaters, to be replaced with lousy(for the most part) multiplexes. There are hardly any arcades at all in Canada, left, and those that are around, usually have either little to none of pinball, and classics. I think that in the next two to three years, this hobby is going to explode, because almost anyone who grew up in the 70's and 80's has been to an arcade, and can identify with certain games. I wouldn't be surprised if even a competitor to Stern popped up. I contacted Williams out of curiosity, to find out exactly who has the rights to what, and the possibility of reproducing machines. They stated that no one has the license to do so, only replacement parts, and they are aware of the current trend in pinball, and have not completely dismissed the idea of one day re entering the pinball manufacturing business. Think of gold mines 15 years ago, sitting idle, until prices rose and made it feasible again. I feel we are entering a Renaissance period for arcade games, just like cars( mustang,camaro), music,clothes,movies, tv shows, etc. Arcade games and pins are a natural extension of that nostalgia/retro trend that is so popular with people of my generation, and even older/younger.Lastly( God, I can talk a lot), I think that their is mainstream acceptance of the pinball machine and arcade machine, that was not always there, and curiously enough, in my opinion, seems to be emerging as a sort of status symbol.

Good times ahead, that's for sure

I listen to this arguement and disagree. Popular pins, be is A-List or B-List have always have sold quickly in the past and will continue to sell if properly priced. They also have always been tough to find, many years of collecting to get to the collection I have now. Not so popular pins have always taken time to sell and a shortage of supply will not accelrate how quickly they sell. Anyone want to buy a NBAFB? Collectors are fussy and want what they want, any shortage will not make them buy not so popular pins. Will it make the price go higher? Time will tell, but people with money, which is required for home gamerooms, like to buy new or restored. Not many new collectors are going to buy projects. So if you making a new gameroom, what would you buy? A new pin or someones 20 year old TZ that is in good condition? If there is any appreciation in value of these old pins, it will be limited.

My two cents...and maybe that is all it is worth.

I agree with HP5P.

Also I personally think the future of news pins is almost over because they don't make money anymore. I am an operator and I can't justify paying over $5000 for a machine that makes $10 a week. I love pinball but if there aren't any players there won't be any new machines.

I think you are absolutely right in that regard( for operators), but there is a large untapped"home market" emerging. Could this justify a company making machines of coin operated quality? Who knows.It has happened before

Quoted from HP5P

Anyone want to buy a NBAFB?

Nor an NIB NBA apparently.

Stern is on life support. They currently are in a cycle of re-releasing. If you want a stripped down LOTR or a rehashed Space Jam you won't have to hunt for it. It is what is it is out there for games.

You mentioned price. Hmmm, yes having an insane number of pins like you do may stretch ones imagination on what is affordable, but the reality is that if you can afford two vice 22 then it's still affordable. There are many that would accept far less titles and opt for two games if the price got that high. It's still affordable to own pinball. Affordable? For those that have money it all comes down to how many you will be able to own, not how much they are.

Quoted from necro_nemesis

Stern is on life support.

People have been saying that for years.. I think we're just lucky to still have a manufacturer in business and should show them some support

Quoted Text

If you want a stripped down LOTR

It's not THAT stripped down, it's just missing the toys because they're no longer produced by the toy companies.  If you look hard enough (RGP, Ebay) they can still be found.  Besides, don't people complain about the number of "useless toys" Stern puts on their pins anyway?  Also, we need to keep in mind, Stern's remaking this pin because the community convinced them to do it.

As for your last comments, I do understand your opinion.. some of us are better off than others financially, which definitely alters their opinions on the matter, but I really, firmly believe that "more expensive" doesn't necessarily mean "better pin".  There really are some great gems out there in the mid-range..

Anyway, just my thoughts.  

It's not really a resurgence.  It's just a few of you with ADD buying them up and then selling it a few weeks down the road to the next guy with ADD.    I wouldn't want to be in the business of flipping pins for a living.

There definitely ius a trend of buyinf to keep them, well exceopt for a few here, people are hanging on to almost all of tha "A" titles unless they need to make some recession cash, and the "B" titles are gold.  I'll continue to regret selling my STTNG for quite some time I think.   I've been kicking myself ever since.

While the home market may be growing, raising the prices of many used pins, the operator market has clearly nose dived. Sadly, I don't think the home market has the $$ to support the gap created by the death of arcades. The only option I could think of is something like pin2k. A system that was highly modular and easy to upgrade, relying on a big up front investment, but much cheaper prices for new titles.

Quoted from HP5P

If there is any appreciation in value of these old pins, it will be limited.

My two cents...and maybe that is all it is worth.

I would hold onto that two cents....it will definitely be worth three cents one day !