Here is a link to the auction's website. From the looks on the website, it looks like the pins are going to be plugged in and turned on.

http://www.bidloud.com/160_pinball_machines

I'm aware of at least a dozen people I know personally (most from OKC and other points well west of Tulsa) that are planning on attending. My guess is that these guys alone will provide a lot of competition on the SS games and many of the newer EMs. I'm not sure about the woodrail EMs, but interest in EMs in general seems to be growing among the Oklahoma crowd thanks in part to more exposure at Cactus Jacks (especially during the Silverball Showdown) and the Enid leagues. The pre-war stuff will also probably have some competition. I have gone from zero EMs last year to 4 now. I will be trying to take home a few.

What a line up sort of glad im too far away to tempted by this

ouch lol

I need a proxy and someone to bring a game down here if it wins. =X

I asked some questions. If I hear anything I'll add the reply to this post.
Website says preview starts two hours before auction at 12 noon, but
the auction time is listed as 1-5pm. Does preview start at 11 or noon?

Preview - will the heads be on the machines, plugged in and turned on
during the auction? If not, are you allowing buyers to assemble the
head and body, connect everything, and playtest the machines?

Removal - Can I pay for and remove the machines I buy before the
auction is finished or do I have to wait until everything is sold
before I can pay for and haul the machines away?

For those who are planning on attending -

It would be nice to know the actual final bid prices. If anyone cares to keep some notes and post later, it would be appreciated for sure.

Thanks Damon for all the time you have put into this for your fellow Pinsiders. You have gone way beyond all expectations and it is greatly appreciated.

I agree 100%

Doing what you have done has greatly helped the auctioneer / the family of the seller / and the pinball community. GREAT WORK!

Damn......thats a EM collectors wet dream auction right there. That would be so fun to attend!

Can't generally add credits with no keys unless you want to pay to test it.

Damonator what is your impression of the facility as far as ease of access? Ample parking for trucks & trailers? If people start moving games out after they are sold is there space to get out without interfering with the rest of the auction? Steps required to get in or out? Dock required or available?

It’s going to be rough for load out and depending on numbers attending the auction it could be impossible before it’s over.

What are some of the more desirable pins in this collection? Just curious, I'm not an EM guy so don't really know what I'm looking at.

I've been getting a lot of questions about this. Luckily, not everyone has the same taste. Gottliebs will probably be the most popular... they usually are.

I shall reveal my opinions after the auction...

This 'collection' is actually a parts/project hoarders wet dream. Many games are in poor condition, looked like they were purchased from a regional or local operator and then effectively set up, played some more and left to age. There are few 'great games' in this lot. Of the 161 or so I found 41 that were even of interest, and some of those were duplicate and triplicate. Good luck with the sale, I hope and expect these don't go for over market value, yet market value will be determined at impact of the gavel. Its a good thing I own most of these already. I will not be going, saving to have run up other auctions for those few left on my 'to get list'.

Ballyhoo Bally 1947
Barnacle Bill Gottlieb 1948
Big Indian Gottlieb 1974
Big League Chicago Coin
Bowling Queen Gottlieb 1964
Bristol Hills Gottlieb 1971
Buccaneer Gottlieb 1948
Central Park Gottlieb 1966
Central Park Gottlieb 1966
Crosstown Gottlieb 1966
Egghead Gottlieb 1961
Flipper Clown Gottlieb 1962
Flipper Parade Gottlieb 1961
Four Seasons Gottlieb 1968
Four Seasons Gottlieb 1968
High Hand Gottlieb 1973
Hot Line Williams 1966
Hot Shot Gottlieb 1973
Humpty Dumpty Gottlieb 1947
Ice Show Gottlieb 1966
King Pin Gottlieb 1973
Magic Town Williams 1967
Olympics Gottlieb 1962
Pioneer Gottlieb 1976
Pioneer Gottlieb 1976
Pioneer Gottlieb 1976
Pro Football Gottlieb 1973
Rack-a-Ball Gottlieb 1962
Rack-a-Ball Gottlieb 1962
Rack-a-Ball Gottlieb 1962
Sky Line Gottlieb 1965
Snow Derby Gottlieb 1971
Soccer Gottlieb 1975
Soccer Gottlieb 1975
Space Mission Williams 1976
Space Mission Williams 1976
Spiderman Gottlieb 1980
Super Soccer Gottlieb 1975
Super Soccer Gottlieb 1975
Surf Champ Gottlieb 1976
Sweet Hearts Gottlieb 1963
Triple Action Williams 1974

Having never owned an EM but would love to, how hard are these to work on?

http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=EM_Repair

Initially daunting but nothing insurmountable. I find it very rewarding, though I am a beginner.

Take the plunge and join our local repair forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216329485442439/

We will figure 'em out together!

Shawn

Uh thanks I guess, that scares me off almost! I'm mechanical, but I'm not sure I'm that mechanical!

OKC Pinheads unite!

I have 5 EM's here. They're fun to work on; like other EM era stuff its all purely mechanical and very hands-on.

Cool, didn't know there was FB group for that. I may head over there on Sunday and see what I can get reasonable. You guys stay home and don't jack up the bids LOL!

I hope for all that you have done to promote the auction and for getting this word out to this community that the pin gods (and fellow pinsider's) will do you a solid and if there is a game you are after you get it (back down if you say that one is mine).

I have seen a lot of questions about the auction and from my past experience it really depends how the company runs it. You can’t pay for an item until the people taking payments have that info, so machine #123 was won by bidder 567 at $525 if they are doing this electronically you are in luck back end folks taking money have info. Some auctions will have someone check your paper work on the way out the door to make sure you took your item (paid for it) and not someone else's (some don't). If they are old school and a runner is taking the info back to the backend people taking your $$$ they may get 20 to 50 games into it before a runner takes the info to the back office folks to log in. Issue I have seen to can be only 1 or 2 people taking the money so for the ones buying multiple games and there to the end you can be standing in line to pay.

With all that said I would still go and have really been thinking about going. I love an auction and I love pinball. Just don't think it’s going to work out for me to make it.

I also find it interesting what people see here, some see bad (junk), some see games they have, some see games they have had or played in their youth, some see potential profit (flip's). Then some see in what it will look like when they are done with it, all cleaned up gone through and up and running.

Have fun and hope there are some good deals to be found.

.

Quite a collection indeed. That Bally Strikes and Spares looks to be in awesome condition, practically no playfield wear and backglass looks good too. Wish I was closer...

I would have parted with some cash for this auction. However the location puts it out of question. Too bad for New Englander's, but great opportunity for Mid Westerner's.

Everyone be sure to post up any purchases you make

Not sure if it's Midwest as I am 3-4 states over. Wish I would have saved more money. I can see loading up a BIG SIZED U-Haul on these.

Based upon attendance and condition and sheer quantity available under one roof, I doubt these will be sold at the usual Craigslist first responder prices. People going in hoping to scoop up a bunch for $200-$300 apiece will likely get a nice reality check.

I can't find it, but somewhere on Pinside is a list of the results of the auction of the Silverman collection a few years ago. A lot of games went very cheap.

Even if I don't buy anything, I'm looking forward to seeing y'all in person and meeting other EM fans!

Saw add on Mr pinball classifieds today. Word us getting out.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/david-silverman-collection-at-auction#post-1475009

Imo, those prices 4 years ago are about average or high. Especially when you add in the 26% in fees on top of the hammer prices listed.

There were actually 3 auctions from the Sliverman Collection - the first two auctions things basically went for market value and those pins were mostly the "better" pins from the collection. Prices posted above were from one of the first two auction.

The CRAZY Silverman auction was the third one: close to 500 machines with 60 to 80% of them being in rough shape. Decent machines at that auction still brought decent money but the "junk" machines went very cheap. I don't remember exactly but I think over 100 machines sold for under $25 each and another 100+ sold for less the $50 each.

But you need to remember two things - first off there were 500 machines (not 160 like at this auction) and second that was the 3rd large pinball auction in just a few months here in Central PA. So most people wanting machines had plenty to chose from. Plus the auction with 475+ machines only had about 50 fairly nice to nice machines maybe another 50 to 100 were in decent condition and the rest were missing backglasses, had rough cabinets, bad playfields, etc.

Bottom line - I doubt this auction will be anything like the last Silverman auction. I expect there will be a few good deals but I think it is highly unlikely that there will be any (or many) "killer deals".

Another HUGE difference between this and the third Silverman auction is basically NONE of the machines at that last auction actually worked. It has been a few years but if my memory is correct maybe 20 or so working machines (if that).

If I was closer I would still love to attend but I just can't justify the drive. Good luck to all you guys that make the auction - it should be fun!

Don't think I can, but I would love to be there. It will be a day to remember. As others have said, thanks for all the work you did to present this to us.

A few there that I'd like to nab, but I'd love to be there even if I got nothing.

Gosh
2460 miles round trip
37 hours round trip
<sigh>

It would be so awesome, so many old EM's with the animations in the head that I've only read about. Thanks for the pictures. Give them all good homes!

I'll be there. Bidding for one other, meeting another and hoping to me new friends. Sadly my old friend and nemesis from years past, Pecatonica Ed will not be there. If you know of Pecatonica Ed let me know. As some say, it isn't the acquisition it is the hunt that's fun. P.S. None of Pecatonica Ed's machines plug into the wall.

I would love to be there but got to work. But why not fly in if you live far away? I am sure there should be hotel, motel nearby and you could always rent a truck. There is 4 places to rent just on my drive home. U-Haul, Enterprise truck rental, Budget, Avis (more vans)

Maybe they should consider selling access to the Facebook Live feed for people who simply want to watch the auction without participating in it. Say, five dollars gives you access. Something like that. They may discover that they're actually in the entertainment business!

I have a feeling this auction is going south already with the 'we haven't done this before, we require this and that, and we have never done this with remote buyers before, etc.' That is not a good way to go about an auction like this, to try and do something where they have never done it before. All I have to say, won't be making it, and won't be bidding either. Feels like it has lots of potential for shilling and errors, and as a result not a real good auction.

It sounds to me like he is trying to do his best to help as many remote bidders as possible when that isn't something he would typically be doing.

If I were making the trip I would be more concerned about the number of people that now know about the sale and that will be standing next to you bidding. A good thing for the sellers family & auctioneer but not so good for the buyers.

For anyone considering making the trip - I would not think twice about it if I was within a few hours driving distance. It should be fun regardless if you can buy anything or not. Rarely do you see over 100 machines for auction in one place! I expect it will be like any other "typical" auction with 25% of the stuff going well over what it should - 50% going at around average prices - and 25% being great deals. The question will be are any of the "great deals" machines you are interested in?

Wish I was closer!

Whoo... better be pretty confident you’re going to win your machine via option 2. Otherwise if you don’t win it (or fall behind second place), you lose the $50.