I know of several people who have decided to cash out with these prices. Smart move? -TBD

Example just within one year-a pinsider list a Stranger Things LE for $8000-I thought mmm-kinda a decent price but still higher than I want to spend for that title. Today same game has literally doubled in price to +/- 16k? This rapid inflation is unheard of-so what's next? Is there a ceiling? While I probably should downsize and cash out while the getting is good, I am still enjoying the hobby and I think the surge will only continue. Should you hold onto Amazon and Apple stock or cash out?

If you are equating a pinball machine with Amazon or apple stock, I don’t think that makes sense. Pinball prices are artificial and Amazon and apple stock prices are, in theory, based on financial performance - profits and revenue.

It all depends on your prospective, kinda like the stock market. I bought my pins to play, not invest. They are going nowhere even if I could “double my money” on them today. I am just disappointed that I can’t accumulate or swap games for a “fair” price. Good luck with you liquidation. Hope you don’t get lowball “reasonable price” offers.

If that’s the case then how is there such a thing as insider trading and only certain people are allowed to do it? How is it that a natural disaster or “pandemic” can cause instant decline? How is it that a tweet or social media post can change the value of a stock? How is it that a famous or well known individual can say something and there can be a change in value based on what was said or implied?

Stocks are also artificial, they go up and down based on public opinion. Don’t kid yourself into thinking stocks are safe and based on financial performance alone. If that were the case there’d be no risk. At least with pinball you have a tangible asset that cannot be devalued to zero.

I miss being able to think about an ad or forum post for more than 5min before its sold or sale pending.

So much FOMO causing the crazy spikes in prices. Just wish I could go back to the time where swapping g seemed viable and neither party had to get top dollar for the game (so long as everyone was happy).

Just my opinion, but we keep the games that are still getting play consistently .If a pin starts getting ignored it’s time to go .Yeah you might sell a particular pin for say 12k that you paid say 8k for and that’s great .Now if your theory is that you’ll get it back for 10k in the future with the imaginary bubble pop that keeps being brought up ,don’t be surprised if you need to spend 16k to get that same pin back and be right back where you started .The only way this makes sense to me is if want out of pinball altogether or you just enjoy moving machines around in circles which ,at the very least ,would be a good form of exercise I guess .I would rather skip that ,keep the pins I like playing and frolic with my wife for the exercise .

An observation or two:

1. I never said stocks were safe.
2. I never said stocks weren’t volatile.

I just don’t think comparing a pinball machine to Fortune 500 stocks is an equal comparison. No matter the risk (of course depends on your investment) or volatility, stocks are backed by actual value unless you buy something that you know is inflated. Pinball machines are collectibles and subject to the whims of the collectors.

I'm going to play devil's advocate and say that the stock market is supposed to be based on fundamentals but being a secondary market it's really not, it's mostly based on speculation.

With pinball the price increase we are seeing is a direct result of the relationship between supply and demand. It's not divorced from the fundamentals like apple stock can be, if the game is good and there is less supply than demand for it, the price will go up.
Maybe some people are buying pins on speculation but I think most are looking for a machine they want to play and if the price goes up that's a bonus. People who buy apple stock are 99.9% just looking for it to go up, they don't care what Apple actually does as a company.

All that beign said I guess I agree with you it's a bad comparison lol

A pinball machine also has value. It has value as a piece of art, as a machine that can make its owner money, as a basis for competition, and as a form of entertainment. Stocks offer nothing except (hopefully) a ROI.

It’s never a bad move to take the cash, especially if you need it.

I also never said pinball machine has no value. A pinball machine has value. I can’t agree more. It’s just quantified in a different manner than stocks.

Anybody wanting to get out of stocks right now, please do so. It will let me buy in at even better values. the sky is falling!!!!

Anybody wanting to get out and sell their Tron pro, LMK. THANKS.

Elon Musk.. Hold my beer.

Price it what you will and I’ll offer what I will.

I don’t know of any stocks based on “actual value”. They are fear/speculation driven. People mostly sell out of fear (no more profit or a downturn) or they buy in anticipation of profit.

Fortunately, pinball has actual value, it is a tangible item. They (stocks and pinball) really rise and fall based on perceptions. They are worth what the FOMO drives them to. The exception with pinball is it will not ever be devalued to zero. Pinball will always be worth something.

It’s silly to compare pinball, stocks, cars or anything else, they are completely different animals that values share common traits. Pinball has been rising in value constantly the last 10 years or so.

Clearly you’ve never owned a Solid State Gottlieb, especially sys1’s, or 70s Cocktail machines.

Those are like boat anchors and sometimes they take ages to sell!

Man nothing beats talking about pinball pricing it’s so much fun

This was the most Seinfeld comment in this thread - "it's funny 'cause it's true!"

Ha see that’s why I’m actively in the market for system 1s right now. Just bought a nice count down yesterday. Anybody want to sell me any? Send me a message.

There’s ALWAYS games that are a good deal out there. You just have to buy the ones people don’t want.

That’s what’s so fucking hilarious about this 20 years of endless, obsessive pinball price bitching and freaking out. Just find the undervalued games and buy them and stop complaining. Ain’t rocket science.

“But I want the games everybody else wants, and I want them now!!!!”

Well, tough fuckin titty!!! What do you expect?!

May I interest you in an Incredible Hulk for the low price of $2800??

PM me! Let’s talk.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-incredible-hulk-the-23

While I think its overpriced, it did play great when I gave it a whirl Sunday.

It’s indeed overpriced and it’s in Ohio. That doesn’t mean there aren’t decently priced games like it within my area. And I’ll snap em up!!!