Real world: I'm not an operator and I'm hardly a collector compared to many here but when a NIB machine costs more than replacing my roof @ $8,500 including a skylight, or having a new 16 X 32' deck installed with Trex, railings and steps @ $10,500, then I'm out and in no way can I justify the cost. I think what people in luxury industries fail to realize, and I'm in one myself, are we are competing with all the disposable income, not just competing against the same product lines.

Admittedly I still feel like a noob in this hobby, even though I've owned a pinball machine for over 13 years, the Pinside forum is still relatively new for me, but I always assumed the excessive costs of a NIB pin was related to the licensing and paying for the rights to use art work, copy rights, voice overs, music... I really like the idea of an original theme like DI but shouldn't it cost much less than a Hobbit or Wizard Of Oz because they don't need to pay for these types of things?