Damn! I remember Greg Freres saying on the FNO Twitch stream that there was no way the Elvira topper would be even close to $725. He scoffed at the idea that it would be that expensive.

But that was back in December before the JP Topper showed Stern how many suckers there are in the pinball buying world. And I was ready to support Stern with an overpriced Elvira topper, because I really, really like the game...but this is just too much.

I'm hoping that the price isn't accurate, and that it's just a placeholder.

Man, I wish Stern would release a non-limited alternative topper. Maybe something similar to the JP/Avengers/Turtles topper? This one-off is amazing and would be exactly the kind of thing that I would want.

Yeah, even if he can't/won't sell or make any more, I'd still love to know HOW he made it.

Yeah, but part of the issue for me is that Stern is offering no lower-priced alternative topper. For their pinball machines, they offer the Pro/Prem/LE model so that there's something for everyone's taste and budget. But for this Elvira topper, they are only offering an LE option. I'd love it if Stern would also offer a cut-down topper more akin to the recent JP topper. Then the whales can have their super duper limited topper, and the rest of us who still love toppers but balk at paying $1k for one have something to buy.

I'm picking up my Elvira on Saturday, and I was fully-ready to bite the bullet and drop the all ready absurd $600 on a topper. But when Stern priced this at $1k, they priced me out. I have money that I want to give Stern for a topper, but they won't make one for me to buy. They are leaving money on the table here.

And it's hard to hear, "Don't like the price, then don't buy it." because I really love toppers, and the more intricate and interactive the better. But I just can't justify the cost of this one, I can technically "afford" it, I just don't think it's worth the price. So I wish Stern would offer a "Pro" model topper, so that I could have something official and licensed.

At this point, I might try to get creative and make my own version of the topper. We're getting close to halloween, so hopefully I can pick up some foam gargoyles for cheap.

Well, there's a reason that so many Pinball Podcasters and streamers are actual Medical Doctors. I mean there's Dr John (oral surgeon), Dr Pin (anesthesiologist), and I'm pretty sure one of the Loserkid guys is a doctor too. I'm not a rich guy, but in this hobby it sure seems to help.

So in my case, I hunt for deals, and fix-up and repair games. I'm happy that so many people can afford to pay the NIB tax, in my case I wait and buy my games on the 2nd-hand market, where I can retain the most value possible. It keeps the hobby affordable for me. For me, losing $1000 on resale would kill me, but for others that's no biggie.