https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/do-you-think-we-are-at-a-top-for-prices-#post-4976120

Ask this guy.

This has been discussed since almost the beginning of time now. There is much new interest in pinball and more people are buying. I see the new big career as the home repair guy. Most think you just plug it in and play like a PlayStation, but now your cooler.

Another one?....jeezus

I’m trying to buy a simple nice system 11 game .I have $2700 and can’t find shit.When you see somebody trying to sell a $200 dollar Roy Clark cocktail for $2500 I don’t think I’m gonna find something.Very depressing.

No shit. It never ends.
I would give away a pin to never have to read about price bubbles, overprices, etc....ever again.
It's sour grapes - you got in to the hobby too late if you are part if this argument.

Make better connections, keep your eyes open, do for others --don't just do for you, and presto--good prices will find there way to you in time.
And don't obsess over having certain titles (like TAF) - take the deals that come your way.

Prices are high!
Prices are going to stay high on all universally loved titles.

There are deals to be had, you just gotta REALLY look for them, be patient and move quickly when they come up. I started buying pins in December and i have less in all four of my current pins than I could sell them for.

I sold a high speed for about that which needed a full refurb (and I sold the cabinet decals and playfield decals with it) . So... don't expect a lot.

Fatality. Raiden wins!

Crashes happen when a group of folks are in it for the money and/or leveraged, can't afford what they are buying (which usually has to do with buying to try to make money and likely borrowing to do so) or when a large group has to sell similar things to pay for basic "needs".

Pinball have any of those things going on right now?

How much new purchasing can the ecosystem bear before those whales can't afford to suck up those games? And what happens when the lower priced market is saturated because those whales are selling games to fund the latest and greatest? I don't know if the insurgence of enthusiasts can pick up that slack especially with the price of entry into this hobby.

Are prices higher or just the people!?
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Google man, use it.

I see what you are saying. Keep in mind pins really have a small group of collectors. Tiny! Doesn’t take many new folks to keep it going. Think it has been around 100 years also. Pins are nothing new.

And look who is coming in - Nerds! A bunch of “nerds” are coming into pinball. Alot of these nerds have good paying jobs in Tech, engineering etc and enjoy fixing things. They are coming in at “today’s” pricing. They are not going to be held back mentally on buying a $2500 T2 because they don’t remember when T2 was $1250. They were not around pinball then. That being said many of these new folks have no problem spending $7000+ on a game.

And look around, pinball is a lower price collectible/hobby for what it is and 5X as fun as other stuff out there. What else are they going to do? Collect watches? Let’s collect high grade 1950’s baseball cards! Or ski! Golf! Buy a boat? Small batch bourbon. Anything along the lines of a $1100 Fire Power type bargain in that group?

Havent seen that poster since I was 18!

The Magic 8 ball answer to are we in a pricing bubble is:

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Nope, just a flow of new blood. Older collectors have no space so are only getting top tier games that are worth making space to have.

I think the bitching and complaining will drive a few folks away from pinball.

Maybe that is folks plan? Bitch a lot - which will keep newbies away and also drive current people away so they sell. They will sell cheap of course. The whiners will come in and suck of all the bargains up with no competition.

Like System 11's? Mid-2K to spend?

Saw the following at the 2019 Pinfest...

Very nice Dr. Dude $2700
Very nice BK2K (needed minor work) $2500
Beautiful Taxi with a NEW HARDTOP installed $2800
Gorgeous Jokerz $1800

I consider these to be very fair prices now. They are not cheap prices, but fair prices.

Fact of Economics: Limited goods such as antiques experience an increase in value over time.

E.g., like teddy bears

Here is a real bargain available, for just under 6,000:

ebay.com link: Teddybar der Firma Steiff

Not exactly. Here in the US, antique glassware and furniture have taken a huge downturn in price. Most of the people interested in them are downsizing or passing away. There simply aren’t as many buyers.

Based on the median age at pinball shows, I’d guess the same thing will happen to this hobby in about 15 years.

But until that point pinflation will continue. The only thing keeping it in check is the large inflow of new games.

Shit, that's me.

Almost every pin head I know is a programmer.

Did any of those sell? What about the BSD for 4995 ? Did that go

I don't think I saw any of those sell.

[Edit]: Nevermind, guess I wasn't paying close enough attention.

Well, I bought the Jokerz for myself. I know the Taxi belonged to Ivan and it sold. Not sure about the Dr. Dude and BK2K.

The BSD was from Doug Huse and was STUNNING! Yes, it did sell. I know he had it listed at 5K. Doug generally gets his asking price on games. He knows what is nice and does a more than proper shop job.

I am not one, but I know many many many. They rock

Yes

It used to be the contents of a brown paper bag, these days a pinball machine has far better currency...

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/icac-hears-from-top-cop-over-alleged-bribes-and-a-spiderman-pinball-machine-20190428-p51hy9.html

The Ali with a lot of backglass cracks was up for 2000 plus. Add the guy with data east star wars for 6000 without any color or pinsound and tspp for 6500 I think some of them just want to save 40 bucks

Or perhaps they weren't that interested in selling but posted a "make me an offer I can't refuse" price

Yea, I played that & it was awesome!!

It’s called supply and demand. Also inflation plays a role. Move along.

Any day now the pinball market will collapse. Just like it did last year, and the year before, and the year before, and.....

I think in order to make sure it happens everyone on pinside should collectively whine about the market and continue to price police

I think this is spot on. I meet many new to the hobby people and most of them are happy with the prices because they don't have that mental block as us that have been in it for decades or years. Also, many new buyers are buying games for the FUN factor. Not hung up on how challenging a game is, how deep the code is, where the game is rated at.