For the past year or so Todd has had a few auctions up with 30-80+ games for sale...I check his ebay store regularly, and I don't think I've seen any sell yet, but I may be wrong.

I hope he isn't retiring!

I would imagine it's hard to find a buyer for large lots like this. The asking price is high and you need the space for them.

I'm sure there would be a lot of interest for individual project machines. But, maybe they simply don't want to bother with individual sales for project machines because of the work involved with each sale. I dunno.

That's exactly it...their business is making games look/work like new and selling them for retail. I'd imagine there's not a whole lot of motivation to sell project machines unless it's in a huge lot like this.

If I read the offers right, this has been for sale since 2010. 31 refused offers so far.

Todd's a great guy but this looks like a potential customer is paying to take out his garbage.

Yep. Been for sale forever.

Well...at around $820 a game, a retailer or operator could stand to make some money depending on how much work they need.

Here are all the lots if anyone is interested...
ebay.com link: Wholesale Arcade PACKAGE DEALS

My local retail store has a lot buy on eBay all the time too. I asked about it, and it is basically an advertisement so that people can see all they have on the floor and in the back, then will piece sell them of course. And if someone does want to pay the full amount for all of it, then thats great for him too.

Keep in mind that includes 43 arcade games, many that are likely worth less than $300 each (only 10 of those are marked as showroom, meaning working 100%, and probably worth barely over $800 if that).

There's a pinball router in chicago that's been trying to sell his machines as a package deal (with 500 boxes of parts) for about 3 years now:
chicago.craigslist.org link

Never discusses price, just says make me an offer, which nobody does because he's always asking $3k for a beat up No fear or T2.

Yea I'm sure a lot of the arcade games are worth a little less than 800, but it also has games like Big Bang Bar, Funhouse, and a few others that are worth considerably more than 800, so it's possible that it would balance out.

If someone wanted to put in the work and sell off the others as they are repaired, it's a great way to get a BBB and AFM for free...

Maybe Choggard can work out an acceptable deal with Todd.

Ok I decided to do that math. Giving honest fair market value prices (not his inflated retail prices), I came up with about $82,400 just for the pins. Now that's keeping in mind every single pinball is in working condition, very little wear (cabinet or playfield). I suppose someone could take that chance (or buy the lot and split it amongst a group of collectors), but if it's been up there this long, clearly they aren't worth it.

I inquired directly with Todd about several of his pinballs six years ago.

He sent me pictures and they were all junk that he wanted top dollar for.

I would recommend meeting with Todd in person and cherry picking through his inventory.

At least you will know what you're getting yourself into.

If the buyer needs to resell this stuff to make money, it would need to be around $60k shipped. Its way over prices for profit.

That would take years to sell the junk high enough to get those for free.

Maybe. Not having seen the condition that any of those pins are in...

Why is he selling a Tetris for $1200......I paid $200 for one in better shape....and he wants almost 3k for a Shaq pinball...???!!!....that's just insane....retail or not....!!!........Joey

he should just toss them off the roof LOL!

maybe he could just contract someone to burn the place to the ground?

on a side note it is nice when ops like this at least warm up to the idea of selling their stuff. he was 30-50k higher a couple years ago.

The old Trickle Down Theory...

The machines he sells are just as good as new. Completely shopped out with LEDs and perfectly restored playfield and cabinet art. When you consider ~$200 for LEDs, flipper rebuild parts, and a thing else a machine would need, plus 15+ Hours of labor between the shop job and art, plus the overhead of running a full time repair shop and retail business, plus the warranty that's included....a $1000-$2000 markup from collector prices isn't unthinkable. If he bought and sold machines for the same price, he wouldn't have much of a business, would he?

Retail prices are always going to be higher. Most of us here like to search for deals and put in the work and knowledge to shop and repair a machine....but that isn't everyone. There's people who are willing to pay a premium for machines that they know will work and look beautiful from a business that has a great reputation.

tl;dr retail prices > collector prices for a number of good reasons

how do you install new flippers on a tetris?

I get that, but the way I'm reading the auction, if priced individually, he's wanting 3K for a non-working Black Hole and 2K for a non-working Donkey Kong?... That I don't get. Those aren't project prices.

-Steve

Clearly I was talking about the pinball he mentioned....

But with the tetris, it would get a new power supply, new leaf switches, new rubber on the joystick, fresh paint, new t-molding and all the boards get solder re-flowed to prevent as many future issues as possible.

I think the individual prices he lists is what he is getting retail, not project prices. But in the auction he says that all machines have everything they need to get them working, and if they don't he will provide the parts or sub the game with another.

darn, I would have been impressed if they installed flippers on a tetris...

otherwise a new Happ swithcer is $20, leaf switches are a couple dollars... no idea what rubber on the joystick is... but you can replace the whole thing for $18 for a new leaf switch joystick... new t-molding is nice... fresh paint? they redo all the graphics? I find that hard to believe... and I also find it really hard to believe the reflow all the boards, that would take hours upon hours for really no reason...

anyway the insanely expensive games he quoted were being sold as-is/broken so really doubt they did all that work...

Yes, with fancy sharpie markers

LOL seriously? what is a fancy sharpie? is that like a classy hooker?

Todd has good connections if you need to find something, but I would look elsewhere if you need anything else done like electrical work or restoration.

I can't wait to meet him in person at expo this year. I feel like I know him watching all of his videos and the few emails we have shared.

Eh, are paint pens so bad for touchup? I have seen MUCH worse.

They don't use sharpies or pens, they have a full time employee doing touch up work with a brush and paint. People here are just shitting on the business for no reason...I guess success breeds jealousy.

I have bought parts from Todd. I would consider buying a machine from him as well. Some of his vids are goofy but you have to appreciate having guys like him in the business. I think he's cool and I believe he's a good person too.

I echo the sentiments about Todd being a great guy and an asset to the community and I do so from personal experience.

He was asked about this very thread on YouTube (the Black Hole video comments) and he gave the following reply:

"I have had those listings up for 4 years now...costs me zero (I have a store and listings are free) and gets me sales of individual games---made one 12 game sale at retail to an office in Texas because of listing! No one will ever buy the package---I know that!"

I've heard from a reputable source that all of their "project games" are deliberately & ultra-thoroughly sabotaged for any possible "swap in bad or non-fixable part." Buyer beware!

_{Post edited by moderator: Moderator warning sent. Troublemakers not welcome here.}

TC, I have a problem with your post - it's crossed a line and you should know that. Let your "reputable source" speak for himself if there really is one.

He accused me of being a TNT employee for defending them here...and he's posted pictures from a competitors showroom. I have a feeling he might have some ulterior motives

+1

Its not like anyone these days have showrooms to brag about. Last time I looked up TNT's showroom, it was all junk. Big Guns and Shaq Pinballs.

I bought a few machines from Todd a year ago, and I specifically asked him about why he listed the large eBay lots. He basically said the listings generated interest. I had the impression he doesn't actually expect to ever sell the lots--they're just advertisements.

I've been there, no AAA titles like MB or TOM on the floor..but it definitely wasn't junk. Most of the showroom was Arcade machines, which I think is a huge portion of their business.

I like Todd, but what irks me most about TNT is that they plaster really ugly stickers all over the top of the pinball machine aprons, ruining them.

I assume that's a holdover from his vending days. Here in the states we used to have new car dealers that would drill into your sheet metal to install their tag - they eventually moved over to stickers, but still a PITA.

TNT are the best restorer of Pins and Arcades in the Philly/SNJ area, hands down, no one even close; GRC does beautiful work too, but they don't to any arcade machines, and IMO are a little snobby when it comes to pins.

In most cases, TNT repaints the side art of 20-30 year old arcade machines, not just repro side art that 99% of other dealers do...These guys are true artists, and historians of arcades and pins.

Todd is running a business and has a crew of guys working for him, if you do factor in man hours on these machines and quality of the work that they produce, he has fair pricing.

Not everyone is scouring for deals on Craigslist, and wants to go through the hassle of transporting 300 pound arcade cabinets; also, a lot of people don't have the time to spend on fixing up machines, it's a hobby to most here on pinside; but most casual customers who buy games for the home, don't have the time or care to work on machines like most enthusiasts on here do.

Not sure why you are so negative about Todd if you have never bought a pin or arcade game from him, he's the man IMO...After having dealt with him over the past 6 months, I'll never buy again from anyone else.

Bwahahahaaaa...