But they do have value. My dad still has a nice collection of baseball cards from the 50's and 60's. All in really great shape. He doesn't plan on selling them. And says that they'll be passed down to me when he's done with them. And I don't plan on selling them. But they do hold value if it were to ever come down to it. But even at that case, they still probably won't be sold.

I dont think cards from the 50's or 60's will hold value because over generations, nobody knows who these players are and there will be fewer and fewer people who do (or will be willing to pay for them). Same for Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, collectibles etc...

Spiderman can always be rebooted through several generations. Same for Star Wars, etc. Hard to do for individuals - and very few are iconic enough to last.

However, having a family keepsake has inherent value even if financially they go down.

Point being, it's not how many cards he has, it's who he has. I was being vague and general about the cards. There's some expensive ones in his collection. Those cards will always be valuable. Just like a Babe Ruth autograph.

I disagree. Baseball is constantly reminding us of it's history and showing us highlights from all of the 90s. Teams celebrate those players. I don't know one person who saw Babe Ruth play, but I know tons of stories about his games.

The people that you are naming specifically are some that I think will last. I don't think that a group that is a smaller flash in the pan (IE Milli Vanilli or something) will be remembered in 30 years, but people who are looked at like icons today will retain that status at least for our generation and next.

If pinball machines retain their value, the next generation of potential buyers needs to be able to play them and see them out in public. If they do that, some level of value will be maintained.

I don't necessarily buy pinball machines as an investment...but I do view them as an alternative investment.

They have traditionally gone up in value and at least kept pace with inflation.

I view them as a fine investment -- as they are not going to have huge risk like the stock market and unlike rental real estate it is something I can personally enjoy while I own it. What else can you say this about?

Here is something I wrote a few years ago comparing my collection at the time to what the same investment would have returned from the stock market.

Pinball proved to be a better investment for nearly every machine:

http://gameroomblog.com/guides/how-i-beat-the-stock-market-by-playing-pinball

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHA!

I put nearly $4000 into the restoration of my first machine and after two months of trying, I can't sell it for half that price.
The only dividends I get from pinball are enjoyment from playing, fixing and upgrading my machines.

Investment? NO WAY! Let's not fool ourselves our wives or girlfriends, "Baby I will be able to sell it for profit?" Every Pin I got on a deal. I poured more money into fixing it up, ie boards, leds, flippers, legs, glass, plastics, translite, another board, maybe just send this board to get fixed, rottendog, Marco's, Big Daddy, THE Pinball Wizard, House of Parts, K's Arcade, Ebay, more Ebay. Need this part, can't find it! Decals, more MODS, can I fit another mod into Addams? Why is my favorite pin I got for 3k now have 6k in it? Money goes fast. Profits on pinball slow, very slow. Then when you go to sell a game, everybody wants a deal, they show up and try and talk you down 2k. Selling my Twilight zone was a nightmare, then sad face, it's gone, after I put 100 plus hours fixing it up. Put time and effort, pride,sweat, and some blood into these machines.
PINBALL IS NOT AN INVESTMENT! JUST AN INVESTMENT IN TIME. NEVER TELL A PINSIDER THAT, CRAIG'S LISTER, EBAYER THAT! I tell customers and friends don't buy a pinball unless your ready to work on them,and learn how to do it?
Say, anyone know the proper spring for fireplug in FIRE? Can't get it to work right since spring popped off?
The list continues, there never finished.

Moose- What game, do tell, can I talk you down further?

the one pinball you can never get to work 100%

BY DADDYXXX, 1 WEEK AGO

My point on above topic and this one. THEY ARE NEVER 100%

Investment? No!

More like a low interest earning savings account.

Rob Bell
Robsgameroom.com

nah, like i said, she didn't find that argument all that convincing. she tolerates the games. i would probably have them either way.

...? of course they have value. but if i'm not going to sell them, what does it matter? my kids probably have a pretty awesome value on the black market. somehow that doesn't provide me with a sense of financial security.

except i don't have to wax and solder my savings account all the time.

but really, i would bet the vast majority are in the red overall on the hobby even before factoring in time (the biggest hidden cost) and parts, and that's fine. most hobbies cost money.

Pinball machines are an investment like boats are an investment. Sure they have some value, but if the economy takes a turn, large luxury items are not going to be very liquid. There are far too many externalities to make them a "good" investment.

Maybe it should!

Kudos on the cigar-chomping dog. Oh, O-din, what happened to you???

His allotted $2.37 for electricity ran out. He has to wait for next month to power on a game.

If you buy low and sell high... yes.
If you buy high and sell low... no.

Bruce

Thread winner!
Best comment yet. Hadn't thought in these terms, but right on!

Damn,guess I've wasted $75k!

Not an investment but they are an asset that brings fun and enjoyment. The value probably holds up better than the snowmobiles I bought and I can play pinball though out the year.

Didn't till i started pricing new cars and wondering how low I can get them payments

No you havn't.. At least we have something to show for our money... could have just pissed it up against a wall

Avengers and Transformers even took me out of that category

Maybe the right term like someone mentioned before is "asset" , I definitely consider them assets. Which is more than any other hobby/entertainment expense I have which are only money pits.. Which, is fine too.. It's a hobby

Then perhaps a CD with an early withdrawal fee???

Assets is a better term. Pins generally hold their value even after years of use. A little wear, fade, or faults are usually not a big deal and often expected. I don't know of anything else like that. I also think there is a certain value to having pins in your house - kinda like a pool. They can be enjoyed by everyone and a conversation starter.

Pinball and cars are what I spend my overtime on. Yes, I work a lot of overtime!

I put a significant percent of my paycheck towards another non company retirement plan. The wife get her paycheck and the rest of mine to pay what little bills we have. I simply choose to blow my money on pinball!

Although I didn't get into pinball as an investment, I have yet to lose money on a game sold. The car hobby.... not so much.

I recently put a down payment on a very nice Cactus Canyon Continued. Because of the possible remake later, this might be my first loss if I ever tried to sell. But I work hard and feel like I deserve this game back into my collection. It'll never leave again.

Bottom line is there's room in pinball for all. For me it's the ultimate niche hobby!

Certainly not an investment, and even if you do find the occasional good deal it's a helluva lot of work to drive down there, pick it up, drive it back home, drag it in your basement, clean it up a bit and resell it...
However, I don't think it's either "investment" or "lost money".
If I spend 2k on a pinball machine, I expect somebody else will be willing to pay 2k-ish as well. Restoration money I do consider mostly lost.

So, investment? No. Money in the bank at a slight negative interest rate, or flat at best?
I think so.
If it weren't I'd have a single EM machine and that would be it.

There we go!

Why does everyone here keep saying they lose money on a pin? Does no one count the games played as money saved?
Any Stern pinball here is $2 a game on site, eg my IM has 900 plays = $1800. that's $1800 my operator would have & I would have nothing to show for it if playing on site.
When all said and done half my pins have paid for themselves years ago + I still have a pin to sell at the end of the day.

A dollar saved is a dollar made

.

$2 per game? ouch.

TAF was a dollar a game in '92 here

I end up putting more into my games than they are worth. However I tend to keep them for a few years and usually try to at least break even so I dont think its a total loss. The good thing is they are usually pretty easy to sell fast if something happens and you need some quick cash.

I wonder how many pinsiders truly have time, marketing and locations to place there PIns. Only a couple guys I know have pizza joints, that helps. I think 98 of pinside is home use only. Maybe I'm wrong. I am just guessing.

I definitely consider all pin purchases as investments. At this very moment, I am passing on a $4k TAF because I think it will be too hard to sell in my local market. I did buy a $250 GTB mustang today.

Consider it a family investment.

Years later the answer is now yes. If one is to buy a limited edition pinball out of the Box they go up in value immediately if it's a good title.

Good luck getting one when they come out as they are usually sucked up within hours.

I've been collecting over 20 years and back when I started you could get demolition man pinball machine for $800 now you're looking close to 4000.

Once upon a time I bought an Indiana Jones pinball maphone's pinball machine for $2000 brand spanking new. Today 12/21 same machine $10k and up.

Crazy Hobby

Yeah I would say I consider it an investment. But, I haven't crossed that line yet where I go all in and get rid of an emergency fund or retirement savings. Since I've been collecting I haven't seen games go down in value, but everything that goes up usually goes down at some point and I wouldn't be in big trouble if that happened

I never went into pinball as an investment, but most of my games are now worth double what I paid for them

No.

I buy them because of passion for pinball. Would I sell them if I somehow got really short on money? He'll yes.