Quoted from jasonpaulbauer:

Traded out a Tron LE so that I could preorder a Transformers LE. This was when Tron LE was a $6k game.... Ended up selling the Transformers a year later for 4800.

Quoted from Hammerhead:

Back to the Future. This was a game that we really wanted, and found one local. The price was fairly high but we thought it was worth it. The seller disclosed some issues, but misrepresented others and left some out altogether. After over a year of troubleshooting and more than $1K in parts it still wasn't working 100% when I sold it out of frustration at a significant loss.

Quoted from dasvis:

LEP (low end pin) men need not worry about such things. I think my average purchase price has been like $140 or so.
Including my $100 Seawitch

Quoted from CCary:

One should almost expect to lose something, perhaps 10% or more, when buying new in this hobby. The new pins that turn into 'grails' are so few and even more difficult to recognize before hand. Hard to be amused at anyone losing too much money though...
Unfortunately my big losses have come from getting excited and buying pins that haven't been produced when making initial purchase. Ugh!

Quoted from shelby1000:

I bought a used AMH in mid 2016 when they were selling so fast you were lucky if you could get one. I paid $7500 for it and just recently sold it for $5000. When I bought it I figured it would hold its value due to the fact that there are only 150 of them and it was so popular at the time. I guess all of the new games that have come out in the past few years have contributed to the lowering value of AMH but it doesn't matter to me as I never buy games with concern about the value of it down the road.

Quoted from ForceFlow:

Up until a few years ago, NIB games were selling for *more* than retail price on the secondary market. Then more manufacturers entered the picture, manufacturers started making more games, releasing titles more frequently, and raised prices, so that was the end of that.

Quoted from TiltDis:

I have a Vacation America in my collection currently, but no regrets yet! It did cost me something, so maybe I have more money into it than it is worth!

Quoted from CCary:

One should almost expect to lose something, perhaps 10% or more, when buying new in this hobby. The new pins that turn into 'grails' are so few and even more difficult to recognize before hand. Hard to be amused at anyone losing too much money though...
Unfortunately my big losses have come from getting excited and buying pins that haven't been produced when making initial purchase. Ugh!

Quoted from Mike_J:

I haven’t lost anything yet, but when I buy toys I am prepared for them to be virtually worthless should I ever decide to sell.

Quoted from Saveleaningtower:

Narrowed down collection and still have a restored MB and MM. Refuse to sell them because not willing to take loss after the remakes came out. For example I have around 13500 in my MM and would be lucky to get 9000 with color dmd and full premium LEDs.
Luckily got out of restored AFM before the remake was announced.
Out of all, I’m guessing my HEP Funhouse was the biggest loser for me when I sold it.
Lesson learned was find nice original and enjoy. No need for high end restorations anymore.

Quoted from BigT:

Every JJP I have owned has lost anywhere between 1500 and 2000. Just sold my Hobbit for a 1500 loss. Sold myGBLE for 1000 loss. I really enjoy NiB experience and I understand I am going to take a loss. I currently have a WONKA on order but in the back of my mind I know that if I wait a year I can probably find a nice HUO at least 1000 less.
IMO Sterns premiums and pro’s depreciation is in the hundreds. Except for a couple of their misfires; some you can see like WWE and Mustang, others you can’t like X-men and Transformers. I know this has been said many times but currently when you cross the 8k+ price point on a new pin your loss goes up significantly. So far in the past few years the only one that has been the exception, besides the orphans, has been JJPOTC.

Quoted from DS_Nadine:

There will and there are. Like Alien or The Big Lebowski.
If AP would close doors I think Houdini could skyrocket also. Same with Dialed In.
(I don't wish that to happen to AP or JJP tough of course.)
Spooky always potentially has a new "grail", with their limited runs.
Interrest in Alice Cooper seemed nearly lost, now it's Little by litle gaining momentum and the game is sold out.

Quoted from Gribbs:

Does it? Does it, REALLY?

Quoted from gliebig:

I hoard and never sell anything, so no loss here.

Quoted from Gooch:

Alien LE. Paid in full, including the additional charge for the full screen. Learned an expensive lesson on that one.

Quoted from ForceFlow:

I don't think Houdini will skyrocket at all. Too many people keep listing it for sale. I keep seeing them for $5k, $4800, $4600, and a couple for $4500. The price on that one keeps sinking. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes down to $4k in the next couple months or so.

Quoted from pinmister:

I too am a hoarder so as games become keepers-pricing goes out the window. I really do not care about machines losing value, when they bring such tremendous amounts of enjoyment. If I ever sell X-MEN LE, Star Wars LE, Ghostbusters LE, Avengers LE, etc. I will take a bath-but it will be the best bath I ever had. When pinball gives you this type of enjoyment-it is priceless.

Quoted from Bigbossfan:

Biggest loss to date, Aerosmith LE. Took about a 2K CAD hit on that one.

Quoted from Daditude:

It's funny you say that...
I keep hearing how classic sterns are some of the best values in pinball today. I didn't realize until i put my Meteor up for sale yesterday. It sold in 30 minutes, and people were practically beating my door down for it.
You heard it here: get them cheap while you can.