Agree 100%, no such thing as a keeper. They all get old after a while, except for Oktoberfest.

same here. When I first started collecting. I only wanted 4 games. Had them for years. Now they are gone. I would never expect to have the collection and the picks I choose now, 16 years ago. But as you play everything a lot. You get sick of seeing the same games everywhere, are your picks change a lot.

When I started collecting, I wanted to own every title I could get my hands on. Now, I've whittled things down quite a bit. Just because I might like a game's artwork doesn't mean it's worth the space it takes up if it doesn't play well (ie, Atari pins).

Metallica will never leave. Guaranteed. Have already turned down way more than I have invested in it, just ticks all the boxes. Oh, wife says ehoh here for duration too

I’m fully aware every pin in my collection will be gone someday replaced by a whole new line up. It just happens. Some last longer than others for sure. Some. A lot longer, but they all go eventually.

I’ve never sold one in 20 years. All are keepers for me. I realize I’m in the minority. Also pinball is just one of several hobbies so I have lots of ways to get my jollies.

Hold a few but variety is spice of life.
Space dictates things here but those massive b/w collections are certainly impressive!
Biggest lesson over time is probably rotating a bit early before I’ve had my fill for a deal.

Are you saying I’m not really supposed to drill holes and actually bolt these to the floor ? This is embarrassing

If Stern Insider Connected does a thing where each game has multiple rulesets, that could increase their replay value (by a finite amount).

Only two games have ever had that effect, Oktoberfest! and Funhouse.....Something about Rudy taunting you.

Not true for everyone...

Phoebe

I laugh when I see people use such phrases as "bolted to the floor", and "grail pin", and then you see them sell it 6 months later. Guess those bolts weren't too strong.

New to pins, started December last year with STH and TSPP. Added JP and GnR recently.

I can’t imaging getting rid of STH but TSPP can leave anytime. Wife and kids won’t let me. Hahah. Will be interesting to see what my collection looks like in 10 years and if anything actually stayed. I put money on STH as it’s my first love.

Now that I finally have all the Vid-Pins I can safely say they will stay in my collection indefinitely.
Only way they leave is when I die, or if some disaster occurs. If they start to get old, just change some settings or give it a few month break!

However, some of them have gotten boring when I thought they never would.
Luckily I operate games, so if I get bored I just put it out on the corner so it’s working for me

I’ve sold at least one of every pin I swore I’d never sell. Except Metallica. That MOPLE has been here from NIB in 2013 and I might just tell them to bury me in it. It goes nowhere.

Bought a cherry BTTF in 2013, was my first and only pin for 4 years. Huge fan of the franchise. BTTF memorabilia vomit all over my gameroom. Never thought I’d sell it, and yet I did last year. Went to a good home, my buddy wanted it since it first released. My friends and family thought I lost my mind.

Never say never.

Whatever. Nothing in my collection is bolted. It is just some titles are much more expensive to get me to part with. Usually I post them for sale when the price I want for them starts to get close to the market value.

I used to pay a premium for "grail" titles. I don't really any more because I realize very few games last more than a year with me. Unless I buy them as projects and I don't get around to fixing them.

I'm not a member of this club, bye...

I plan to be buried in my Addams Family, so I'd say that's a keeper for me!! Seriously, I've had many games since the 90's, have no plans to ever sell any of them, I get the rotate games thru the collection, but some just have that special quality that makes them stay forever

I guess it depends on whether you classify yourself as a Pinball Collector or a Pinball Enthusiast, both work!

I only bought my first machine this year and quickly ordered a 2nd! If I had space for more machines I’d definitely have keepers and rotators, but as I only have space for 2 and location play being about a 2 hour round trip I know nothing can ever be a keeper.

There’s so many pins I want I know I’m going to find it hard to balance missing out and getting rid of some too soon.

Weird flex. I must have made a wrong turn. I was looking for Pins Are Keepers Club.

Ironically, I owe a great deal of gratitude to the No Pins Are Keepers Club…I would not be where I am today without their dedication to their lack of dedication.

Big Game ain’t ever leaving. But I feel this way about pretty much any other pin.

All I have to say is RESPECT to the OP for staying married to the same woman for 34 years! SAME!

Back on topic, I have my keepers for sure but I do swap the others out, so I am half in the club

I only have 1 pin that is "bolted to the floor", and that is ST:TNG. It's the only pin my wife likes (huge Trekkie), it's heavy, there are none local to play, and every time I see one at a show alot is borken. I really, really, like mine. I let it out on a temporary trade once and I missed it. It's not going anywhere. However, I have room for 5 and rotate pins alot. Here is something nerdy I've never shared before... my pinball ownership matrix!

matrix (resized).png

It was super hard for me to sell years back. But now I’m much more inclined to move games on. I host so many events and tournaments that I want to keep them all fresh.

I expect the following to be around for a long long time though:

GOT prem
Big Game
Diamond lady
Grand Prix
Jungle Queen

Surprised Stranger Things didn’t make the list.

Too expensive to keep really.

I agree with this. I have had a few dozen pins over the last 5 years from all eras and now have landed on a small collection of mostly higher end stuff - two of which were NIB (the only NIB I have ever bought). Lebowski and GNR LE. My Addams is an above-average players machine and my wife's favorite so its unlikely to go anywhere unless Harry Potter ever comes out. I do have the itch to bring home maybe an AIQ premium or JP premium but space and budget simply wont allow that without selling something. I play GNR LE way more than Lebowski but really struggle with the thought of selling Lebowski after waiting so long for it.

There are also days I walk by the room and think how ridiculous it is to have that much money tied up in 3 barely played machines and I should just sell all three and invest or payoff my wife's car and move on to some other hobby!

The Pin I have the Longest, is with me 41 years.....My Wife 46 Years, its a close toss up.
(Although I do wonder sometimes, if I could have changed my wife, as often, and as easy, as some of my games)

That's actually really neat. I wish I had put something together like that. The longest lasting pin in my collection is Super-Flite. I've had it for a little over six years at this point. It's never my favorite game, but everytime I go to sell it I realize I'll probably never buy another game I like as much for as cheap ever again. So frequently when I need space it goes into storage and comes back out when I've sold something.

Yep, I'm just a caretaker until I move the game along to someone else. If I had the funds and space, maybe I'd hold on to a few but generally find 6 months to be my sweet spot for keeping a game.

"To bolt or not to bolt, that is the question".

Most of the deciding sentiment in my case, is how and why I acquired the game. Because sometimes a pin is (or becomes) more than just that. My first one was a worn-out Space Shuttle I purchased on whim and brought back to life coming on 7 years ago. I knew *nothing* about pinballs then, so that game now represents opened doors, found opportunities toward new friendships and adventures I never expected. It has a lot of my own craft and handiwork within it, and fortunately it's still a fun game. So naturally I don't see that one leaving anytime soon if ever. Nor the Firepower whose playfield and boards I rebuilt completely as a learning exercise for my 3rd game. Nor the Bad Cats my girls helped repaint and restore as pre-teens. Nor the Time Fantasy I completely repainted to support an added UV feature well before Stern "stole" my idea for STH, ha ha. Those are perhaps more like heirlooms in the form of pinball machines, heh.

But other games I've acquired have indeed moved on. A few I also put serious work into, but as the OP shared, I'm proud every time I walk into Lousiville's big pin location and see the games I rescued and rebuilt still working fine 4 years later. And the others I sold to friends and neighbors, bringing them enjoyment. Some stayed longer than others. My shortest keep was just 2 months; the longest before sale "after restoration" was a bit over a year.

Of the titles I still own but didn't specifically mention, I intend to keep a few "indefinitely" for various reasons. Others, who knows? I do know that every time I think I'm out space, I, uh, find a way... to fit another. But in all seriousness after the last "keeper" I think I'm out now, so something will have to go. I just depends on what will force my hand.

I like to think most of us will go through these phases to some extent. And situations and sentiments always change too, so I wonder what my room will look like in 3, 5, 8 years...

No pin is a keeper.

My philosophy is that everything is for sale, for the right price.

I've got an offer in on some hunting property right now. If it's accepted, I'll likely sell my whole collection to fund it. Fuck it. They're just pinball machines. They can always be replaced down the road.

I just joined this club. It sucks ass. I want my congo back!!

Just sold off my last pin, waiting for the new one to arrive.
That one will eventually be sold as well.
I guess I'm in......

I have one keeper my R&M game #1, my daughter will get it when I die, it is already promised to her. The rest even though I’ve said are keepers and are “bolted to the floor” will eventually be sold.

I split the purchase of a Flight 2000 with my son and an Argosy with my son-in-law in 2021. I gifted my Argosy ownership share to my son-in-law for his birthday and he was really appreciative. The game was already in his basement. My son is engaged to be married and I plan to gift him my ownership share to Flight 2000 when he moves out. So that's pretty fun. While I am attached to the machines, I don't see myself ever bolting one to the floor. I really do like Flight 2000, but the reality is that I'd love to have one with a better playfield. The Argosy machine is pretty minty and I like how it plays for an EM, but I like tons of other machines just as much. Hopefully, my son and son-in-law will keep the machines and they will be a reminder of me after I take a dirt nap.

Money is the limiting factor for me. I've got about 10 years to go before I retire. So I am pumping the maximum amount into my retirement funds. Over the next decade I hope to find some affordable machines that I can fix up and enjoy. Once I'm retired, I hope to get one or two really nice machines that might appeal to the grand kids. I can pretty much have fun playing any pinball machine, except Spiderman.

You have to let go of everything eventually so learning how to do it gracefully is a good practice.

Had me laughing out loud. The truth can sometimes be really funny!

Your pinball ownership matrix is actually fascinating. Your combined months of ownership is 181 divided by 33 machines gives a quotient of ~ 5.5 months of ownership, per machine. I wish more people would post similar stats. I'm just starting out (first purchase in June 2021) and getting ready to add my 5th pin. I just assumed that I would keep them all until they fell apart though, based on the above stories, that may prove highly unlikely. Still, less than 6 months per machine really surprises me. I can't help but wonder if your situation is unique or the norm. I have also noticed that some people have owned some machines multiple times (selling and later repurchasing). I'm new to all of this and would not describe any of my pins as "bolted to the floor," however, I do expect to keep them all at least for several years.

BTW, I'm pretty sure that it is Epoisse de Bourgogne cheese that Satan eats. The rest of us have better taste than that!

I've bought/sold/traded so many games over the years (over times buying the same ones back..I think i've had 4 or 5 T2s at this point) I think I qualify for this club.

That said...with prices creeping up steadily, it's no longer a cheap/casual decision to trade out a game when bored with it or when I beat the wizard mode/have seen all a game has to offer. At this point I don't see mysef swapping out too many games in the future, except maybe AIQ pro eventually.

nothing is forever

A machine is only special if it is special to you. Look, things change, people change, people's priorities change, prices change, jobs change, home's change, life just changes. With all of those things constantly changing, nothing is for certain. The "keep that title as long as I live" mentality seems like it should be a thing but, it is a lot harder to accomplish than one would think. I have two machines that I would not sell... but it's not for "as long as I live", but rather for "as long as I still like to play pinball".

I find quite often that owners don't say they will keep a game forever because of how it plays (unless you are a newbie)... but because of other additional special unsaid circumstances. That is true in my case.

I’ve been in this club, but I guess my goal now is to get out. I’m an all-EM guy, my wife (of 35 years) and I like to compete so I get multiplayers, and I have become more of a Williams fan. So I've got a goal of keeping my 3 favorite Gottliebs, 2 Ballys, my sole woodrail (my only single-player), selling the rest, and filling up the rest of the spots with more Williams multiplayers (I now have a relatively short list) and a couple Sonics (which are pretty much Williams). It would be my EM equivalent of filling a room with all Sterns or JJPs. The uniform Williams heads look really sharp together, and I generally like the way they play the best. After I shared this idea with my wife, she was even willing to let me sell Cleopatra EM, one of her favorites. My plan is to get to that as a final lineup.

BTW, OP is a great guy, and I am a beneficiary of his selling rather than storing a pin.

Glad I can be entertaining,

Of those 33 pins, 2 were “temporary trades”, and 3 were projects that were never fully working before they left my garage. 181/28 would be 6.5 months per pin… Still. Out of all 33 pins, there were only 2 or 3 I genuinely hated and traded because I genuinely disliked them (Champion Pub, Judge Dredd, Hobbit). I know some folks love those pins though so don’t murder me.
Also, part of my strategy on pins is to buy 2 in a group deal when I can at a slight discount, and sell the second pin to bring down the price of the first.
I also tend to list pins as “Trades Welcome” and take the best deal I haven’t played before. This lets me try new games and involves people delivering them into my basement.

I have a stupid amount of money in pins right now. I’d guess my collection is worth about $40,000. However, over the course of 3 years I’m guessing I put about $25,000 into it (including the free pin), but don’t have accurate records on that. Everything else has been traded up/fixed up to sell for more. There is a lot of sweat equity in my collection.

For example, I want to say I am about $8,000 into Rick and Morty. How much are those worth now? I bought Twilight Zone for $7500 and put another $1,000 in it. It just sold above asking at $11,000. $300 or $500 a trade really adds up over time too. The 2 for one trades are amazing.

Waiting to see what comes up in trade offers often yields better than expected results. Someone traded me their original AFM for my JP pro.

Let me also state that at no time do I feel like I ripped anyone off, nor do I believe anyone feels like they have been ripped off by me.

Let me ramble on about how and why I went through 33 pins in 3 years. Pictures and for sale threads in my profile for those curious.

I picked up my first pin, a World Cup Soccer (great first pin) in August 2018. I sold it after 3 months because I wanted to prove to myself (and my wife) that a pin could be temporary, and that if I bought a pin I wasn’t stuck with it forever and could mostly get my money back (I did). I had a blast, and got to play the crap out of a pin in my house essentially for free. Shortly after I sold, I made a deal with my boss (big pinhead) to buy his ST Pro. When I showed up to pick up the pins, the company owners were there and surprised me with an AFM SE (Story on that is here https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-star-trek-pro-vs-jurassic-park-at-same-price). He later sold me the ST Pro with the money I had gotten from WCS. Loved both machines, but really wanted a DE JP. Ended up trading the ST for DE JP and cash. Sold AFM to fund a Hobbit. Perfect theme, looked amazing. Took it home and absolutely hated it after a few months and sold it.

Took the Hobbit money and bought a ST:TNG (Dream/nostaligic pin/theme) and a Last Action Hero to sell to offset the cost (fun game, but no room it had to go quickly after fixing it up). Went to my first pinball show (Allentown 2019) and picked up a non-working Pinbot project(s). Couldn’t fix it. Ended up trading for a Big Guns (not my 1st choice), which I later sold. Bought a Fish Tales and White Water with some profits and extra funds. The Fish Tales I got was clear coated, but they used a weird material and it was “grippy”. Ended up moving it quickly. White Water was great and a fixer upper. Traded it for a Champion Pub and Cash. Traded Champion Pub for High Speed (flip to sell), Taxi, and Cash. Bought and sold a Whirlwind (Fun!). Bought a Stern Jurassic Park, Simpsons Pinball Party and kept those a bit. A local ad came up for a Medieval Madness LE for $7,000 I jumped on immediately and sold Taxi and Whitewater to fund. Bought a fixer upper Black Knight. Traded Medieval Madness for TNA and cash. Later traded TNA for Judge Dredd and Earthshaker (both sold). Put a deposit on a Rick and Morty. Bought a Twilight Zone, temp trade with a buddy for an Avengers LE. Picked up a Torpedo Alley and Robocop in a combo deal. Sold Robocop to offset Torpedo Alley costs. Bought an El Dorado/Space Shuttle combo and sold Space Shuttel to offset El Dorado. Bought a Lord of the Rings. Traded Black Knight for Sorcerer. Sold Twilight Zone to fund Indiana Jones. This leaves me with a Rick and Morty, Star Trek The Next Generation, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Torpedo Alley, and Sorcerer.

All in all it’s been super fun and I’ve had a blast trying out different machines.

I have only sold a few games in the 25 years or so of doing this, I just recently sold the 2nd game I ever bought (Xenon) and have another game I've had for close to 20 years. However the recent crazy prices of some of the games I have that I thought I'd keep for ever have me reconsidering that. I know that anything I buy will also be crazy expensive but it's still tempting.

Only true keeper for me is Twilight Zone. It was the pin that really hooked me into pinball and my first pin purchase. You can never replace your first.