All my games are on coins. I prefer to play them as I did in my youth.

All coins for me. Thats the way they were and thats how i like EM!

Yeah, but this time we have the key!

coins and free play...

working nickle and dime mechs on machines that should have them...

i tumble up quarters as needed and make them all shiny, then put them in bowls of them close to the machines...

i have them free play modded just in case someone wants to "just push the button", but everyone seems to prefer dropping a coin... invariably they will feed the machine when the credit reel reads zero...

plus it's a "parts piggy bank"...

Yeah, that's what I thought with all my arcade stuff. "They'll pay for themselves!" Yeah right......

The whole "I have mine on coins cause it reminds me of being 15" thing was fun for about 5 minutes.

Free play all the way. Fishing coins out of the game to start a new game is a pain in the ass. And it didn't take me long to realize that playing pinball is what's fun, not paying for it every game.

I think he meant not re-using coins but pocketing them at the end of the night......

I definitely started with my games set on coin play but after awhile I converted to free play. All but one still "coin up" so sometimes I leave coins out for parties.

Reminds me of my 1960 Vendo Coke Machine. Started to look for a coin mechanism (did not come with one), but quickly realized that I got enough sensory satisfaction from the sound of the bottle being pulled out of the machine, others rolling down behind it, etc. Same thing for the EM's - I like the sound of the coin mechanism, but it's really the sound of the score reels and relay banks resetting that gets me excited.

Coins only, no free play here. Why? Because it's still fun to see how long you can ride on the credits. And I put everything back to factory anyway, so that's included too.

well that's even worse.

I can't imagine anything tackier than asking guests to pay for pinball games that most of them probably dont really care about anyway.

But I don't think that's what he meant.

I'm about half and half. Most of the games I own with a replay unit are on free play. Earlier stuff with a coin slide is pay to play. Skill Roll is obviously on nickel play.

I only allow real silver coins to be dropped in my EMs.

None of that clad shit.

Free play! Coin mech are just another thing to get jammed or create problems. I realize most people remember playing in arcades with actual quarters but this is home arcade. I would think that most guest would simply not play any games if they have to pay. Only a fellow pinhead would pay for a home use machine. I actually with Stern and other manufacturers would make it optional to have coin mech or just have dollar bill slots. It would save some money and labor to make games.

COINS!

u should add poll

yea, i'd never do that... that would be about as low as someone could go...

that's why i have bowls of them polished up for everyone to use... i have no shortage...

y'know whats really sick? when i empty the coin boxes, i don't re-use them, i take them to the bank and feed them through the change counter and get bills for them... like i mentioned before, "parts piggy bank"...

I put plenty of coins in games back in the day. The fascination with dropping coins into the game long ago wore off with me.

The only game I have that isn't set up for free play per se is my Pinball Pool. It has a Pascal Janin board in it which allows you to set free play-it sets the credits at 99 and they never change, but you don't get to see the credits go up and down, so I rigged the coin return button to trigger the coin switch to add credits when I run it down to 0. Other than that, they're all set for free play.

I couldn't imagine asking guest to "cough up coins" to play my games. I enjoy watching guest play them as much as I do, honestly I enjoy it more.

sure, it'd be a total weasel move to make guests pay to play games...

thousands of quarters pass through my mechs with no issues...

Throw away the key. You might change you mind then...

when I first got my game I had roommates, it was set to $0.25/play lol

I wouldn't charge my guests to play pinball.

The bathroom, however, is a different story.

pay toilet.jpg

you dont have to charge guests. u can coin up games pre arrival.... nice to have the games set on that imo u can always set them to free play but its nice knowing the mechs still work

The only reason to take them off of free play is if the game has a really cool effect for the coin switch.

All mine are free play. Simpler.

man, that brings back OLD memories... i haven't seen a pay toilet in FOREVER...

Really hard to find one of these any more either.

payphone.jpeg

I set my pins to coins for less than a year. Had enough money saved to buy Abra Ca Dabra. They can be fun piggy banks.

Coin drop all the way! I bought some cheap 0.900 token mechs and old arcade tokens from eBay.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/token

I like to drop coins... Why?...

Reminds me of back in the day, part of the experience for me.
Funner to earn credits, then gauge how you're playing by how credits add up or count down.
Younger visitors enjoy dropping quarters for the game to come alive. I keep a bowl full nearby for everyone.
I get a kick out of a slightly maladjusted coin slot, just like back in the day too...

yup... pay phones are rarely, if ever, seen any longer... let alone a booth....

Makes me even more on my toes if I am out on the road somewhere. This must have been how the cavemen did it.

Coins mostly.

Have a few games that I don't have the right coin mech for and I haven't got time to source and change.

For my 1954 Mystic Marvel I have a roll of mint 1954 Nickels

now that's what i'm talkin' about...

Coins / Bills for me. I use my game as a 'piggy bank'.

If I have guests over, they can play anyways (TZ's running 9.4H, which is always free..), but when I rebuild my collection, I'll put them on free for visitors.

Coins Always. I like my machines fully restored and that is part of it, making sure all the parts are there and working is key for me.

I love the sound of coining up (especially on Williams with the Knocker) and Credit Wheel as it reminds me of days gone by. EM's were in so many different locations back then, it was awesome. Guests love using the coins too as I have 3 bins consisting of of pennies, dimes, and quarters for them to use. FYI Pennies are for my "Ask Swami" Napkin Fortune Teller machine.

Good Times!

Ken

Coins all the way.

Nothing but coins.

I like to see how far I can get with a quarter.

Plus I love thr sound of the knocker as I win.

Why else do we play.

All my flipper games are on free play,except for Sure Shot. All i need is the one game on coin, when i want to get that drop a coin in the slot feeling,i play Sure Shot.

Now my bingos are a different story...coins on every game for me.

Pins are on free play. My vids, dart machine, and skeeball are all set up for any size tokens.

I'm on free play and knocker still knocks...???

I have to go free play as if I switch to coins...Arnold will no longer call me an as*hole.... ..................Joey

Coins here. I have a bucket of quarters and dimes for my guests to use.

?

The knocker works regardless of if the game is on free play or not.

Home = Free

Like to drop quarters in the games. The games are on free play. So 'Both' would be my answer.

Coin op.

And am really surprised at all the other folks here that are too. I just figured it was another one of my little 'deals' that I believed in... and would have to campaign or fight for.

I just think it is the best possible way to play these games and get the most out of them. That is really my ultimate ambition... to get the most fun out of playing. I've read and heard it said on the newsgroups: "Replays... why? Come over to my house and I'll show you why. And yeah... if all you have to do is push the credit button again when it's on 'Free Play' of course replays aren't going to matter, that's my whole point. Now granted, I don't think you could ever get the same feeling as one played on route, that is 'always' going to be the best way. This is just the best you can do in a home environment .

I remember one time my friend, Kenny Zdun was over here playing and said to me: "I get it, I understand now... and I think you're right". That made me feel real good.. because he knew what I was trying to do. It's not about trying to make money. The lousy little bit of coinage that is put in, doesn't even pay for the electricity these things use anymore... but that's not the point.

And I must admit, that more often than not... I am just putting the coins in myself for a lot of the people that come over here and play these games. I wouldn't 'dream' of asking them to put money in my games. You have to be 'good' to put money in my games!!!

But I have other collector friends that come over to play and put money in my games.. and I put money in their machines. And..... am happy to do so! Hey, I just got the specials lit...Whoo hooo!!

I think the point fflint 18 is making is that he likes the qtr to drive gametime further by replays and the knocker is the signal of that. I see & accept that point.

The knocker stops working when you have maxed out credits.

Free Play for me. I don't want a bunch of dirty coins getting my hands dirty and in return my hands spread all the muck onto my lockdown bar. I know i can wipe it down. I just hate using coins for anything. I hate touching change...especially pennies. I also like my new coin chutes to look new. I don't want scratches from missed drops. I don't want to wear away the shiny metal on the chutes. On 1968 and later games I don't want to get coin muck on the new white plastic coin chutes. I like pressing the button and starting up a game. I like maxing out the replay wheel on a game. I like hearing the knocker. I don't care if I did not use a coin or not. In the arcades I hate grabbing for tokens especially on a video game that I want to continue before the time says it is up to continue.