Clearly OP is trying to make another stamp onto pinball history.

I am NOW officially taking all reasonable offers on my TZ, bought NIB in 1994, #S/N 53320-263221. Good times are ahead, but I have reached an apex end in this hobby for me. Simple version, time to cash out.

Addendum: ALL original factory documentation, manuals, schematics, warranty cards, and distributor sales receipt are included with my game. This easily constitutes a $55K value, and I will throw in the game for FREE!

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The $500 Ebay sale limit imposed for first time sellers is there for several reasons...think about it.

If the OP still believes this game is worth $65K, the game should be submitted for professional auction. The only additional point I will mention is that the OP will find some of the experts in this community are the same involved with appraisement. The industry and hobby is VERY small.
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Historically, there have been a few private sales of prototype "one off" (or extremely low volume) industry coin operated games that exceeded $65K, but NEVER for any title that actually made it into verified full production. This includes accounting for inflation over the years and some very special circumstances.

I keep wondering how long this FS ad will actually run, as now I had to share it just for the humor? Bravo OP, you achieved your marketing goal. I could never trade personal integrity for the extra exposure and get laughed at from the pinball community.

This whole ad with comments is turning into a false Pringles commercial.
"Once you pop, you can't stop." (complete with hidden money stash compartment)
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To complement LTG's old website owner listing:
Here is the IPSND TZ full listing (1027 submissions) http://www.ipsnd.net/View.aspx?id=2684

Game S/N X970000 specific:
http://www.ipsnd.net/details.aspx?id=19393
Jon Farris (OP?) added this game on 9/16/2010 (his only submission).
"Fun House" with the same serial was added on 1/26/2019. (2190 submissions)
Who knows what is going on here?

There could be all sorts of pinball sleuthing regarding this particular game and ownership, if a collector wanted to get serious. Plenty of available reach back to the original designers as well. Any interested parties should be doing this, or paying someone to do it if they are willing to pay $65K for THIS machine!

Maybe there are hidden illuminati signatures to fame and fortune on the playfield by Ted Estes and Pat Lawlor?
Maybe the OP is Jon Farris from INXS, that might even bring some interesting directions for this thread, sort of like "Slash's Guns n' Roses" back in the day?

The possibilities are endless at this point in the thread, but this photo sums it all up.

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As an owner of various prototypes and sample games myself, most of the time it is based the removed features due to cost reasons. Some can be very unique. There are a LOT more games out there that have specialized versions that the most common people are aware off based on popularity.

However, there are actually real collectors who only specialize in sample, prototype, and low production games as part of their "trademark" meaning it is not just because it is "rare", but they are keen on owning important aspects of pinball history. Value for price is another matter because even these collectors have limits to obtain these featured games, are not fools, many have been around the hobby for a very long time, and they know EXACTLY what added features certain prototypes contained.

Twilight Zone as a prototype and its "added" or "missing" features is much more well documented due to articles and interviews done with Ted Estes and Pat Lawlor starting from 90s. Some of it is still searchable even today.

TZ quiz questions for experts: Did the original Twilight Zone pinball prototypes have a starred or no-starred translite? What else might have been different on the original drawn images? What if anything was changed?
Pinball is full of secrets...
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Good job, you are correct. Post prototype.
There are still a few more mysteries to discover on the history of the TZ translite.

I know of one of the three prototypes in Seattle, WA with a private owner.
I would need to confirm it sold for less than $12K, as it was sold as part of a good relationship not pure profit.
Not everything in this hobby is about making money.
If this thread keeps rolling, I may have to ask.

You are not being exposed to many of the largest heavy hitter collectors. A person may not meet them from PinSide. A modern collector may never meet them at some type of tournament or party. Prior to the latest "pinball revival", history was one of the leading reasons to actually own pinball machines. It especially applies, if the machine is more than 30+ years old. The player type of collector was the minority, and still is although the NIB collector has grown in size.

Based on this discussion you might not if heard other types of collectors as well. There us what is called the "hoarder collector" either which deals with volume and even multiples of the same game.

There is HUGE money in prototype and sample games, equal often to most rare games, if the title is fully working and popular. But, there is a limit...

I am not pumping. I am just telling people the truth. The hobby is small, but those that have around for a long time know that experimental, prototype, fully functioned games that NEVER made it into production can be worth 4-5 times a standard type game value. Twilight Zone is not part of this group.

Yes, there are people who are afraid to play their games as they might become "devalued", which is a stupid way to live, but it occurs with all types collectors. Musical instruments comes to mind.

If you had read my original posting a while back you also would have realized that I clearly stated there are NO examples of a game which made it into full production that sold for $65K, public or private. This includes inflation adjustments and special circumstances.

I don't like to do this, but I will provide one example for comparison for a game which never made production, and what later occurred in pinball history.

The original Capcom prototype BBB (14 produced) average sales price $25K, and still is to this day.

IPB remakes sold for a little over $4K initially, which was higher than the standard game price tag of the time at $3250 for Stern games in 2004.

Today, the remake averages $15K.

Price difference is 5X from original to first days of remake. Today, the difference is still over $10K from original prototype.

The difference is not hundreds of dollars.

People MUST be able to differentiate between a prototype game which was produced/not produced, sample, and even early production. These categories are NOT the same thing, or have the same values.

No DW early production "wobble head" would be worth thousands of extra dollars, but one of TWO DW in the Bally cabinet with hologram/proto translite/artwork/lamps/and more is a different matter.

This particular discussion was not about whether prototype TZs should be valued at $65K, but an understanding of values based on production categories of games because people were openly discounting it actually existed at all. I don't dictate pricing.

I see you want something more closely knit in terms of production source and production run. No problem. I can provide that.

Mata Hari (Bally, 1977-78) is another example, this time from the "produced" versus "limited" or "nonproduced" category of games.

Mata Hari EM (170 units)
Mata Hari SS (16K+ units)

Mata Hari EM average value remains 4-5x of a solid state unit, when compared on equitable condition. I have witnessed it.

Some might say there are 170 "prototypes" of this game, but that is not really accurate. It is just a unique fully featured, working version of the same game, with different parts, and different operating system which is highly desirable to collectors.

My point is this concept is not an exaggeration, as it does happen, but depends on several factors.

Everytime I log onto PinSide and read this thread, this video keeps echoing in my mind inside an infinite loop.
Keep up the quality content, PinSiders, and "weather the storm" OP.

"Tunak tunak tun, tunak tunak tun, tunak tunak tun, da da da..."
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This question post reminds me of another meme.
Initial temperance is sometimes better than an "all out" frontal assault against people, if a person wants additional historical knowledge. I think the Pequod has already been sunk regarding this matter, at least for me. Let others take a dip in this particular ocean, if they choose.
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"Punball Only One Earth" pinball machine by William Wiley, retheme of North Star (GTB, 1964)
Here is what was received for $125,000, not $120K.
The owner even got a complete set of clear leg protectors!
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This is a reposted photo, but I still remember this game from our show in Washington. I did a classic double take when I saw the asking price. Funny as hell. "Rare does not always mean valuable."

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Another couple of very good reposted articles for interested buyers or enthusiasts to peruse regarding the features (prototype and production) of Twilight Zone. Authored by Ted Estes. These will help in signifying the direct period of production of this particular game within the title history. Trust, but verify...

https://gameroomblog.com/features/romancing-the-zone
https://gameroomblog.com/features/twilight-zone-pinball-prototype-vs-production
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pinball/915948-twilight-zone/trivia

Video of the declared S/N TZ in action, uploaded by the stated owner in 2012, "Classicalguitarist22". Young individual looked to be from the PA region and worked as a beekeeper. No additional research into person conducted. Game unverifiable based on angle and lack of clarity. This same S/N has been mentioned in other non-pinball forum sources such as it-vision.org. Another potential reference for interested parties. I still recommend reviewing the prototype Ted Estes article for a better comprehensive understanding of all features included in the prototype game, that I listed in my last posting.

People certainly can ask for whatever price they want, but does not mean they should. Often it's helpful to make some smart inquiries first. Long time collectors get asked and answer these type of questions offline, all the time. Chalk this game for education into the history books.
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Not really, I sold a fully working FireCracker (Bally, 1971) for $300 a month ago, owner loves it.
Project Gorgar complete with a nice backglass and playfield, for $350.
Black Knight for $500 working, above average condition overall but nothing spectacular.
Several other half-dozen games in the B-title range for less than $3000, some for less than $2000, all working.
Some more EM projects for sub $300-400 to the right people that I know were not going to flip them on Craigslist.
That is the only reason I am already dropping below the 60 game range now in the past 6 months.

I already started passing the "flame" onto the next generation of collectors. I am slowly moving on.

Prices of the sales are based on condition, functionality, desirability, and age of the titles as I have for decades.
I never was in the hobby to make money, just ensure I never lose money.

The word is spelled, "hypocrite".

Mr. Estes already publicly confirmed this was not his personal machine. His game S/N was X970004.

According to records, this individual game is part of the first 12-15 series prototype sample games made off the the original concept design examples which did not have standard S/N designation.

Basically, what I am trying to reiterate to the public, this is NOT "the first TZ ever made" or owned by a designer/programmer, which was originally suggested in the past in order to increase its value. Understanding game title development history has relevance.