Simple answer - No.

People with big wallets get into the hobby. They look at IPDB and Pinside rankings and they need to have the game at the top of the list.

They will pay anything to get one.

People who have one don't want to sell. Unless they get a stupidly high price. Then they sell.

This creates the new price.

"I got 15k for my MM!"
"Wow, my mm is worth $15k now! Sweet"
"If they got $15k for their mm, mine is worth $17k cause its nicer than theirs!"

Thus, pinflation is created.

No different from Tulips, or rocks that people dig out of the ground.

Just because some person, at some stage in time, said that golden colour rocks are valuable, now golden colour rocks are valuable. Doesn't mean that golden colour rocks are better than silver colour rocks. Just someone deemed them to be valuable so all the minions follow. The person that deemed golden colour rocks to be valuable probably had a big pile of them down the back of his property.

Marketers follow this idea all the time ... Look at European cars. They market them as "the best" so people think they are "the best" and pay a premium whereas you'd be better to buy a toyota cause they never break down.

It's all just a bit silly if you actually sit down and think about it.

(Theres some deep insightful thinking for you on a weekend ...).

rd.

Jeeez that was a good post

rd.

That's what I paid for it. $6000 NZD so about $5000 usd on current rates.

I would not pay $15k.

Same as I wouldn't pay $15k for a Cactus Canyon.

Or $25k for a BBB.

I go without. I dont need them. No stress my end.

I'd rather buy the 6 more Sys11s I need to complete my collection!

rd.

I would never buy any coloured rocks Pauly.

Cause they are rocks.

Jewellery is the biggest con job ever created.

I bought my girlfriend a $4000 gold/diamond engagement ring set for $350 at an estate sale.

That's all it was worth.

20 years on its still going strong.

rd.

Haha classic!

rd.

I own one. Cool game but $15k price isn't warranted.

rd.

See! My point is proved. Everything is for sale at a price.

You just need a silly rich guy to want one, and we're in business!! I'll see who I can find

Hope I get the 3 boxes of Corona commission this time!

Tarus never gave me anything when I sourced the MM for you in the first place ...

rd.

The monster has his "creature" out ....

rd

Go hard with the coloured rocks.

Fortunes have been made .. and men have died ... for coloured rocks.

And tulips.

Probably.

rd

I don't buy rocks.

I buy METALLLLLLLLLL!

rd.

Who said I wanted to sell it? It's a great game. That's not in discussion here.

The question asked by the OP was "is MM worth the money it fetches" ie $15,000.

My answer is no, it is not worth $15,000.

As Markmon says, it is not worth
4x whitewaters (or whatever the qty is)
5x Dr Who
3x TZ
Etc etc

Fortunately if I wanted another 6 sys11s I wouldn't need to sell any machine to fund them.

The problem in NZ is supply ... Bad Cats and Pinbots don't grow on trees around here.

rd.

Exactly my point.

I was happy to pay $6000 nzd for my MM, and spend another $2000 doing it up to collectors quality with new playfield and cabinet decals etc.

But would I buy one for $15,000 USD (18,000 NZD) ... Which is what they are fetching now?

No.

People are losing sight of the OPs original question.

rd.