Still scratch my head trying to understand why people think prototype or sample games are worth more money? May have slightly different art, etc.-Who really cares about this stuff? It is like someone has a prototype game and says to someone-"Look what I have-it's a prototype because the boards are red and has hand writing". Who gives a flying F*@! Are people really interested or impressed with this stuff? Scratching my head

-Pinside price police just showed up

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Shit I did not read through all the post-just know someone had to call them-ummm dispatch we have a TTBPO420 here.

TTBPO420-'Trying to bend people over-420'

Ok so you are buying into a story or history of a game. My question is why? Why buy a game for it's history, so you can brag to friends(who probably don't care or see the relevance) about where it came from or where it has been. It makes absolutely no sense to me when it comes to a pinball machine-maybe a car or something else-but a pinball machine? Again scratching my head because I just don't get it. I would not even pay a premium for a game that someone famous once owned-again who gives a crap? I only pay a premium based on condition-Condition is king in my book.

Yes I call it artificial collecting-meaning it means nothing to me.

The only way I would see a value in a prototype or sample game is if the gameplay is different from production models.

Different strokes for different folks

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/whats-the-deal-with-prototypes-and-whitewoods#post-4062417

People pay a premium for an unmolested barn find car because it is probably a rare car, with lower miles, etc. Again condition and rarity-but not a prototype.

People pay a premium for a handwriting from a famous person because they have a connection with that person or they want something to put on a shelf to show off to others.

It is different with pinball, if the OP invited me into his home and showed off his prototype TZ-I would shrug my shoulders and say "Meh" does not look to be in that good of condition, especially for being an HUO machine-Doh' I would offer him $7000 for a TZ in that shape-I guess I am only $58,000 short. Maybe I can do a go fund me for $58,000 to help a delusional collector buy a prototype TZ? I think the pinball community is way too small to consider the "history of pinball" as a tangible valuable asset.

Wow-easy does it with the pumping. I think these type of 'collectors' that are interested in paying an over-inflated price for a piece of 'pinball history' are few and far between(and fading away fast). Pinball is still a small niche hobby-who are they going to impress with that prototype? -Like 20 dudes? People are coming to the realization that what really matters is condition, if you want a piece to put in a pinball museum for history-buy a prototype-if you want something to really impress friends buy a cq machine that PLAYS well.

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Ummmmm-no not even close

Where did you pull those numbers from?

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Just had a thought about all of those 'special collectors' out there that got bam-boozled into thinking Magic Girl was special and unique. Now they have a $20,000 paper weight staring at them everyday that they cannot sell(or play ) on secondary market-that would be torture for me to have to stare at a paper weight all day.

To me a hacked up prototype is worth less. Is Pat Lawlor a god or something?-no just an average pinball designer. This game the OP is trying to sell is hacked, and looks like a beat TZ to me. I am baffled as I think of the suckers who actually think 'Pinball History' has significant value. People actually geek out with this stuff? Well you have no idea what you are talking about and there are tons of 'heavy hitters' that collect these kind of machines'-give me a break-who flippin cares!-go hang out with your 'heavy hitters'. Anyone who is delusional enough to see significant value in a hacked up prototype needs to find something else to try and impress their friends with.

Super lame-imo
-Keep up the artificial collecting-I think I have a coffee mug that Gary Stern once used-I am open to bids.

People can say pinball can have provenance-ok yes it can

-But to what extent? Hundreds of dollars in additional value or thousands? Yes-value is in the eye of the beholder

To me pinball is such a small niche hobby-it seems irrelevant and pointless to think it is significant and adds substantial value.

People can compare cars, comics, baseball cards, coins, hell throw in some Beanie Babies in the mix-all apples and oranges and all the others have way more mass (public) appeal. Maybe pinball will explode someday and people will be jumping over each other to spend $65,000 on a prototype TZ-but I would place my bet elsewhere-not going to happen.

Ok I just got the connection here. An owner of proto-type/sample games is here to defend his 'ideals' or values with his machines.

I am generally curious(not being sarcastic)-what Prototype/sample machines do you own and what value do you place on them?

I am beginning to think that all of these 'Heavy Hitters/Whales' that would pay a substantial premium for a Proto/Sample are just a small bunch of guys with 'delusions of grandeur'.

I will leave you with this tasty one......