A very nice original one is gaining value as we speak, because most of them have been "restored" with new everything. It's much harder to find an original.

A restored early 70's Fastback Mustang or a restored 1970 Camaro and a 9.5 condition original of each vary DRAMATICALLY in price. Pinball is catching up.

Antiques are the same way. Restoration tends to harm value from any antiquity that is 90% original, in almost every case.

People won't care much until the originals are selling for 12-15K and then you look at your restored one worth 7K and think, man... I pissed away 8K on that restore. I could buy a new Stern with that money. LOL!

Without any pics at all, it's probably worth 4-7K+. But that will depend strongly on finding the right buyer for that machine.

It is to me.

So what good is that one for someone that wants to own an original in mint condition? You can almost make one from scratch these days using repro parts. If that's your cup of tea, great. Not everyone thinks new and shinny clear coat is "better". It's different and faster for certain. "Better" is always a matter of opinion. My opinion is that original is better than a profesional restoration, condition being the variable.

My opinion is this will happen when I have $11,999 to spend and I can't find an original one to buy for that amount in mint condition. 5 years, 10 years, who knows.

Why do some collectible things that sold for $12K 10 years ago now sell for $300K? Anyone have a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Yenko 427 they want to sell me for 12K? Supply and demand is a hell of a drug!

Do you think that your 6K today will be with 6K in 10 years? If you do, you have more problems than can be ironed out in this thread.

Bad choice of words. We're getting hung up on semantics here. Replace mint with "great". I've played on both a very nice original condition Centaur and a Fathom. I much prefer them over a restored example of either.

Funny though, the newer the machine, the less I seem to care if it's restored or original. That's probably because we are all spoiled these days with personal collections, shows, and the like where it's getting rare to see original condition machines in ok shape that play awesome, prior to 1990. Most of those games have all been turned over or parted out, or aren't much fun to play. Plus, after 1999, the collector and HUO players started to really gain ground. It's not difficult to track down most games made after 1999 in very well maintained, HUO condition. Hell, those are the games I am starting to see on location now, once home players start to run out of space but don't want to sell.

Exactly...