West Dundee, IL
Nah, I don't keep mine that clean.
(Topic ID: 310278)
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Raven
Gottlieb, 1986
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Quoted from CrazyLevi:There's so many phishing and other scams out there these days, I'm just not sure it behooves pinheads to publicly declare the value of their collections, or the first car they owned as a kid or whatever irrelevant question Unclerudy is asking this week.......
So I take it you'll be giving phony answers when the "What's your favorite Social Security number and mother's maiden name", thread pops up?!
Newmarket, ON
Quoted from luch:you could have had a $200 k or over choice
Baller! 
Quoted from arcyallen:You didn't see my anonymous vote? Haha.
(Looks up current collection on Pinside) Pinside says about $27k. In today's market, probably a bit more than that. I have little interest in knowing individual people's answers, but I AM interested in the pin market (and markets in general).
It's also interesting how many people are bringing up privacy or boasting issues here. I have no interest in going to steal CrazyLevi's pins (my rule is never steal from anyone with Crazy in their name) or boasting, but instead learning about the pin market. Most people might think they know what it's like. This is how you actually find out! I knew the "average" pinhead might have had more than one pin, but I'm genuinely shocked that about half of the respondents have over $50k+ in pins (and a quarter over $100k!). This is one more confirmation for me that we are in a period of "Irrational Exuberance". And as a student of markets and behavior, I have popcorn ready as I continue to watch what unfolds. I find these things very, very interesting.
I can understand why people will get defensive. You do understand that there are quite a few people that have over $500K (not us! I wish! ) in their basement so I can understand why they would want to keep the location secret. People treat their pinball machines as their "prized possessions" If the games are not for sale it does not matter what they are worth. Pinball is a hobby not an investment strategy. Investment strategies come with boom and bust cycles, hobbies are just fun all the time.
On one hand a $50K pinball collection might sound impressive. However that literally could be spent on 2-3 games which is not much of a "collection" 
Quoted from pinballcorpse:On one hand a $50K pinball collection might sound impressive. However that literally could be spent on 2-3 games which is not much of a "collection"
I think any “Collection” worth 50k know matter what The hobby should be considered impressive!
Quoted from Zplumb:I think any “Collection” worth 50k know matter what The hobby should be considered impressive!
Of course! Don't get me wrong; $50k is $50k and is nothing to sneeze at. It is just amazing to me that 2 or 3 machines can go for that amount.
Quoted from metallik:5K... in this market?[quoted image]
I wondered the same thing, wtf kind of POS is Yancy driving?!
Quoted from arcyallen:You didn't see my anonymous vote? Haha.
(Looks up current collection on Pinside) Pinside says about $27k. In today's market, probably a bit more than that. I have little interest in knowing individual people's answers, but I AM interested in the pin market (and markets in general).
It's also interesting how many people are bringing up privacy or boasting issues here. I have no interest in going to steal CrazyLevi's pins (my rule is never steal from anyone with Crazy in their name) or boasting, but instead learning about the pin market. Most people might think they know what it's like. This is how you actually find out! I knew the "average" pinhead might have had more than one pin, but I'm genuinely shocked that about half of the respondents have over $50k+ in pins (and a quarter over $100k!). This is one more confirmation for me that we are in a period of "Irrational Exuberance". And as a student of markets and behavior, I have popcorn ready as I continue to watch what unfolds. I find these things very, very interesting.
I’m a student of genealogy, can everyone please list the names of their grandparents and oh, I’m a bankologist too! What bank do you do business with? And how old are you guys?!
Quoted from Gryszzz:Everyone please also list your addresses and your work hours thanks
123 Fake St and as few as possible
I thought about this years ago.
Then I thought about all the other shit I have.
So over time, I’ve build a master overall spread sheet with all the “keys” and locations of all my $$ and stuff.
So when I drop dead, there are a lot of peanuts to lead my kids down the trail.
“Pinballs” are one of about 30 tabs.
For the 90-ish total games I currently have, or have sold, I have data in the following columns:
Manufacturer
Title
Status
Date
Type
Players
Production
Mr. Pinball Value 2016
Retail Value 2022
Date Acquired
Date Sold
Purchase Price
Invested cost
Total Cost
Sell Price
When I lived in a duplex in the hood, I’d use my pinballs as my safe. My tv got stolen once after being robbed but my cash and other valuables were fine inside my firepower.
More than paid(great), still get to play and enjoy them. Made sure if something happens my wife knows who to talk too on value. She'd lose it if she knew now. List made of which ones my son and daughter get though( their choices). Funny how a game has earned as better investment in last 10 yrs than a real investment...
Precovid I had around $100k in games. Would probably be around $140K or so today which is insane. I thought it was stupid to have almost $100k worth.
Quoted from timtim:When I lived in a duplex in the hood, I’d use my pinballs as my safe. My tv got stolen once after being robbed but my cash and other valuables were fine inside my firepower.
Back in my late teens, I stored all my weed in the wood rail my old man bought me. It was easy to hide the key and da o'l man never thought about getting inside the machine.
Quoted from BallLocks:I only have about $1.00 in my pins right now... Need to turn off free play!
[quoted image]
Get yourself a hot dog! Yum, Yum! If anything bad happens I figure I can sell all my shit for about 80k...on the low side.
Sandviken
Quoted from emsrph:I used to store some cash in my Road Show just in case a pin came up for sale and I needed to take a road trip (especially on a weekend when the bank was closed).
Last year I bought an EM from a guy and when he bought it a few years earlier he found an envelope stapled inside the cabinet containing 50000 SEK. (About $5000) Unfortunately it was old, expired currency. Someone forgot about the money or died and never used it before it was too late.
Moral of the story, having actual money in a pin can be dangerous
Quoted from pinballaddicted:I can understand why people will get defensive. You do understand that there are quite a few people that have over $500K (not us! I wish! ) in their basement so I can understand why they would want to keep the location secret. People treat their pinball machines as their "prized possessions" If the games are not for sale it does not matter what they are worth. Pinball is a hobby not an investment strategy. Investment strategies come with boom and bust cycles, hobbies are just fun all the time.
Can the OP please add a $100k to $500k and a $500k+ as choices for the poll? Seems like a lot of people are in the $100k+ category... Let's do a little more stratifying to see the upper echelons.
Quoted from marioparty34:Can the OP please add a $100k to $500k and a $500k+ as choices for the poll? Seems like a lot of people are in the $100k+ category... Let's do a little more stratifying to see the upper echelons.
16451796559028381024863691654799_609384753758428 (resized).jpgQuoted from CrazyLevi:And for the record, pins HAVE been stolen from private property before. It's happened. I remember a guy in South Carolina who had his MM among others ripped off when he was on vacation. There's such thing as "buff" and resourceful crooks.
Criminals go where the money is, and there's more money than ever in private pinball collections.
That was Pin Del I think. Lost an MM, a really nice Joust, and something - Roadshow? Scared Stiff? Something. Fucking devastating. That was my wake up call to take PICTURES of the games and serial numbers. Won't really HELP with insurance, but I will have them to post HERE - and MAGIC has happened HERE with stolen games, so that will go LONG way to help me get over the loss. Folks - get your serial numbers on a list, today!
Quoted from Bundy:Last year I bought an EM from a guy and when he bought it a few years earlier he found an envelope stapled inside the cabinet containing 50000 SEK. (About $5000) Unfortunately it was old, expired currency. Someone forgot about the money or died and never used it before it was too late.
Moral of the story, having actual money in a pin can be dangerous
There was a guy back in the day who found $8000 and a MYSTERY. The STACKS of money was all in - $2 bills I think, in 'pads' with the edges glued. He honestly wanted to return this money, as good people would, and eventually FIGURED IT OUT. There was a guy in...San Francisco? Cali-somewhere --- who would randomly hand out bills pulled off a pad. His hobby was to brighten people's day. He had done this for years and years and eventually the guy found a news article...they guy had died, no family, no relatives. HAD to be him. Mystery solved as such.
Kalmthout
Quoted from BallLocks:I only have about $1.00 in my pins right now... Need to turn off free play!
You need a coin bin. I got about $20, some screws and a key! 
20220218_055114 (resized).jpg
Quoted from Atari_Daze:You need a coin bin. I got about $20, some screws and a key!
[quoted image]
I keep finding gold dust in my coin boxes. Not the good kind. 
Quoted from freeplay3:I keep finding gold dust in my coin boxes. Not the good kind.
Flipper stops?
Quoted from gdonovan:Flipper stops?
Yup.
Quoted from marioparty34:Can the OP please add a $100k to $500k and a $500k+ as choices for the poll? Seems like a lot of people are in the $100k+ category... Let's do a little more stratifying to see the upper echelons.
giphy.gifQuoted from CrazyLevi:Hey, what is your favorite superhero? What is your favorite kind of dog?
91B2FB7D-B5F8-420D-82FF-ECFE4264449A (resized).jpegQuoted from SantaEatsCheese:Those would be some buff robbers.
Even though they are expensive I imagine pinball machines would be pretty hard to Fence.
Forget fencing the pins, moving them is such a pain in the ass I'd think there are a lot of easier things to steal!
I have an alarm system and cameras but the greatest deterrant is breaking down the machines and hauling them up from my basement. Even with an Escalara or a decent-sized crew it still would take a couple of hours.
I have been collecting for years. 42 pins and three game rooms! I play everyday. Car accident slowed me down some. Good to have a variety. Nice collection that I enjoy modding. Although the hobby is getting very expensive. Sold a few the past year soon can get a few new ones. I’ve enjoyed the hobby over the years for sure.
23AD0125-E531-4155-9027-56CC0368152D (resized).jpeg2E4A65B9-0617-4541-914C-080CBEFE7D11 (resized).jpeg695F0140-2A15-424D-9F04-4EB6A971A86C (resized).jpegFEF4626C-67B4-484B-9E7B-36A2A1F955CE (resized).jpegQuoted from calprog:I have been collecting for years. 42 pins and three game rooms! I play everyday. Car accident slowed me down some. Good to have a variety. Nice collection that I enjoy modding. Although the hobby is getting very expensive. Sold a few the past year soon can get a few new ones. I’ve enjoyed the hobby over the years for sure.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Wow!
I worked out that if I sold everything tomorrow, I would double what I spent on buying them in the first place
Quoted from RandomGuyOffCL:Come on people let’s just cut the shit and start a proper “what’s your net worth?” thread
Because only pinball worth matters.
Quoted from RandomGuyOffCL:Come on people let’s just cut the shit and start a proper “what’s your net worth?” thread
This is a hobby not my net worth.
If your net worth is your pinball collection, you're doing life wrong.
Quoted from d0n:If your net worth is your pinball collection, you're doing life wrong
If that's true then me and what I suspect is more than a few others have gone and f'd up again.
Quoted from Thrillhouse:If that's true then me and what I suspect is more than a few others have gone and f'd up again.
Since your collection is set to private, I couldn't be sure.
Quoted from d0n:I honestly have never calculated how much my games are currently worth. I've always assumed over $100k but did some research this morning
and thanks to pinside current for sale ads and archived sales... I was blown away by the number. [quoted image]
I'll take that JPLE off your hands for $6500
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