a great pin that is extremely underrated. If you were closer, well, you know! GLWTS!

bump so i can track

If I didn't just pick up a JD I'd be all over this!
GLWS

Got me thinking too. Fresno is only a couple hour drive for me.

I picked up a HUO RBION a while back. Absolutely fell in love with it. And this one is a better deal. Good luck!

glws

LOVE this pin, although it kicks my arse.

GLWTS

Underrated pin that is a great design and lots of fun.....wrong coast!

Seem like a sweet deal.

If you were in Australia I would take it off your hands. I'm looking to get a RBION but have not seen any for sale in Australia at the moment. Good luck

Very solid deal. GLWS.

Mk

Dang, no flipper button wear, that's not common with these.

Whoever buys this, pleas install clear flipper button protectors ASAP. Bump for what looks like a fair price.

Where can you buy clear flipper button protectors?

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1870

Off topic, but does anyone know how easy these are to remove after they have been on a machine for several years. In any cas, GLWS. I have a RBION and love the game.

Maybe this link will be helpful:

http://papa.org/2012/01/27/keith-elwin-does-a-tutorial-believe-it-or-not/

I'm chiming in since you're selling for a friend as opposed for yourself. To offer a different opinion.

It wasn't long ago that this was $2,000 to $2,500 HUO. Late 2012 through early 2013 (IIRC) during the height of the market - and after it was on Pinball Arcade - people were listing these (and maybe even actually selling these) for over $3k. The hype passed, but did the price stick? I doubt that $3k is viable today.

Wouldn't $3,300 only be about 10% less (maybe 15%) than this cost NIB? Or thereabouts? That just seems unrealistic for this title in today's market.

Ripley's is a much better game than its early reputation. With sincerity, GLWS.

Well, it wasn't that long ago that gas was half the price it is now. Markets change. Prices change. Whether or not TPA is the reason for the price inflation or simply just more people getting into the hobby buying things up(so therefore less inventory turns into higher prices), we can safely say we'll never know. But, there has been a track record of RBION's selling at increasing prices over the last two years. Most of which I see selling at about $2750-ish for nice routed games with minimal wear. I don't see how $3300 for a true, one private owner since new RBION is out of line. If I was in the market for one, this would be a no brainer. I'd gladly pay the premium to have a machine that doesn't have thousands upon thousands of plays on it, spilled drinks, a cabinet that reeks of cigarette smoke, components that are on their last legs, hack jobs by an operator who can't be bothered to fix it right, and countless other things I can't think of right now versus one of unknown history. I know the guy who won this RBION and can attest to it's backstory. I have friends that worked at the same place he did and knew about the contest and that he won it.

But, in the end, regardless of all that backstory and who owns it and where it was or anything, condition is still king right? The pictures don't lie. This is one of the nicest RBION's anyone has ever seen and some of the comments so far by others are attesting to that fact. I think the price is well justified. The timing might not be right for when someone on the west coast is looking for one, but that shouldn't be a marker for the market-worthiness of a particular pin's value.

Case in point: Can you imagine what the premium would be over "normal market value" if this were a TAF in this condition? It'd be at least a $7k game where most nice routed ones go for $4k.

......and free bump.

Recent sales data suggests you are a little behind. 2500-3500 is the new range. I'd say huo at 3000-3500, routed 2500-3000.

Look at recent sales here

http://www.pinballprice.com/MachineSalesResults.aspx?selection=Name&txbName=Ripley

And on boston pinball...2500-3800.

You will not likely find a good one at 2500 or below...if you do, I will buy it.

Nib price is meaningless. TSPP and lotr both go for well over their original nib price.

I don't think the price is unreasonable for the condition at all, it's just going to take the right buyer. The problem with Ripley's is that it's got a rep as being a cool game in a not so great package, and so it's one of the titles that's nice to pick up cheap a little used, a player's game. A nice one just has to find someone who's interested in less of a bargain and more of great add to the collection.

I paid a premium on mine, but I wanted a flawless HUO RBION, and that's what I got. $3300 is right in line with condition (and less than what I paid for similar condition). The right buyer will come up.

I looked at one last weekend, it was a mess, guy wanted 2700 and wouldn't budge as he said there was a line behind me. I passed. It's here on eBay at 3200 so I guess the line wasn't so long...will never sell at that price, or if it does, buyer will be sorely disappointed. Cabinet had gouges out of front and head, upper flipper very weak and had broken plastics, pretty dirty and worn. Had a lot of tech alerts, but seemed to work 100% other than the flipper, which needs a new coil.

ebay.com link: Ripleys Believe It or Not pinball machine

I found another locally from a pinsider, much much better for nearly same price. Getting it Sunday!

Wish I was closer

I think 3300 is worth it....however I am RBION's biggest cheerleader and have been for years

I never understood the 'right buyer' thing. You mean, it's going to take someone overpaying for it?

Not a lot of pins are moving right now. The east coast has been practically snowed in so pin sales are a lot lower. I know this is a west coast game but with NAVL the market is nationwide. If you wanna sell something, put it for sale with a number. If no one buys it, put the number lower. Rinse, repeat until sold.

Right on Rich.

No, it means waiting for someone who cares about details like no flipper button wear. Not everyone does. You don't play the flipper button wear to abuse the old phrase. You can find a cheaper machine that plays well and has some minor cosmetic issues. You're gonna pay more for a machine in that nice shape. So are you a bargain hunter that isn't put off by white marks around the flipper buttons? Pass this one up. Looking for a really nice and clean example because you like to collect those kinds of games? This is for you, you are the right buyer.

And not to be a jerk, but the forecast is 79° here today, our market doesn't care about snow. No one wants to pay to ship a Ripley's anyways.

The "right buyer" thing refers to someone who is actively looking for a specific item in a specific condition at a specific time. Is there a market for an unrestored 1965 Mustang GT350 at $350k? Not really. But there is if the right TWO buyers are out there and are willing to bid it up.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/21/barrett-jackson-2012-1965-shelby-gt350-barn-find-headed-to-a-ne/

(now speaking hypothetically)
Are you ALWAYS in the market for a specific pin? Let's say you go to an expo and happen to play a JP. You realize that the game plays great and you really got into it at the show and that now that you just sold one of your other pins two weeks ago, you've got room for a new-to-you title and decide JP is going to be next to add to your collection. Now, if you were a collector who can't work on your own machines for whatever reason, and don't even like the idea of opening one up to clean it and even replace rubbers as necessary, chances are you're going to look for one that is in fantastic condition that will also not need attention for a long time. That, along with the fact that you make $150k per year, and like to have nice things in good condition. Chances are, too, that you're going to pass on a JP that has a cabinet that is all dinged up and faded. No, you're going to wait for that one machine that comes along that is just a bit above the rest of them in quality. Once that stands out. It may take some time to find it, but you'll get it. Your discerning tastes require it.

Not only is the person above a "right buyer", but he wasn't even in the market a month ago. Games of a certain level take a right buyer at the right time.

Is the constant-lowering-of-price-unti-it-sells procedure warranted with a title like Kingpin? An original BBB? I know the old line "Something's only really worth what someone will pay", but sometimes you just hang on to something because you know it's worth what you're asking and the timing may not be right for a buyer to have stepped forward. I don't think that Kingpin that sold recently sold because the guy kept lowering his price until he found a taker.

Great price, somebody will buy it.

Don't let price police get to you.

Never played it...but it looks pretty darn cool!

I'd love the machine, but the shipping and arrangements put me over the top. Looks excellent.

They are ------.

_{Post edited by TheFamilyArcade : Don't want to name call.}

Bump.

Thank you. Is this reality that hard to understand? Ripley's was not considered a high value game for years. WOF and Nascar fetched higher prices. Ripley's had its little surge. WOF had one fairly recently. Will anyone pay more than $2,500 for a HUO Nascar?

I walked away from a HUO Ripley's at $2,500 a couple summers ago. Eric Bundy ended up buying it. He fixed a flipper, cleaned it up and sold it for like $2,800. IMO, this is where the pricing will settle once again. Sell it for $3,300 and prove me wrong. I'm just suggesting that it may sit at that price.

Back on topic: GLWS. bump! Ripley's is a fun game with a lot of toys. Very high BOM.

_{Post edited by TheFamilyArcade : Rising above it}

I am interested if I could get this machine back to Denver somehow without $400 shipping? Anyone going from Cali to Denver anytime soon? Thanks

PM sent.

The "right buyer" is the guy that appreciates a better quality, low play, HUO pin and is willing to shell out a few extra hundred bucks or so to get this one versus a routed, beat up POS.

I'd love to have this one if I didn't already just pick up 3 pins. And it does say $3300 obo. What's the problem?

Just let the guy sell his pin. Your opinions can be spoken somewhere else, and stop derailing this for sale thread. I know, try clicking on one of those "which pin should I buy" threads and type away!

Looks like a great pin, and a great price. GLWS. I kind of want it.

damn thats a pretty good price for that condition and i'm one of those guys who WILL pay extra for excellent condition machines... anyone driving up to Washington? GLWS

I agree. I would be the "Right Buyer", if I hadn't just bought STLE AND WOZ!! Still considering it though.