Depends.

Games where features were removed on production games the samples might hold a higher premium. Some it's just cosmetic artwork changes like your game. There are a certain collector that that may appeal to, others may not care.

Some sample games they found problems and changed production games for the better. Jackbot sample games have problematic lock design and was fixed on production games. Had a sample Jackbot and couldn't wait to get rid of it.

Now, prototype games might hold a higher value due to very limited production (20). Sample games they usually made a fairly sizeable quantity (200).

It doesnt really depend - almost no sample games bear a higher value than their regular production counterparts. Take TZ, which has a very high number of changes from sample to production. Same value. Even Monster Bash, which had an entire different mech and ramp in the sample - basically the same value. If it’s a super rare thing, where there are only 2 or 3 samples available, you may find more value - but that will be because of the rarity, not specifically because it’s a sample.

Having a sample is just a cool thing to show off to your pinball friends

Dirty Harry with the drop target feature seems to be worth slightly more than the production games without it.

Sample Jackbot is worth less.

Those horrible sample eyelocks are a disaster and bounce outs are at least 50 percent.

There’s a reason they changed it for production.

Being an owner of a sample TZ, I'd saw it is worth more. At least for me it would take some serious cash on top of a regular TZ to get me to sell mine.

Haha same here, but not -necessarily- the same to a buyer!

Those that haven't played a sample TZ are missing out on the true greatness of an already great machine. Let me know if you ever sell yours -- it is such a special machine that I'd buy a second one.

Folks seem to value the sample DINER more than the production game. The sample had a diamondcoat playfield and yellow habitrail - both desirable features on a DINER.

The funny thing about that- I was looking for a Diner a few months ago, and within 3 days, I found 2 early sample games near me. One was absolute junk but number 63 is now mine. It's worth to me the same as a regular Diner, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

I've now had 4 various sample/early games, without looking for any of them. They are out there, there are a lot of them. I don't place any more value on them other then the fun factor I get out of them- if they are fun, then they are worth more to me then if they aren't.

Two of the games I have are samples, but they aren't any different than the production games from what I could tell.

I had 2 early production Scared Stiffs and both were sold for more than the regular price.

Agree that it depends, but seems like EM collectors hold them in higher regards.
My .02