The games do exist.
38 year old correctly documented HUO Paragon picked up less than six months ago for $1800.
It took a bit of work, to find the right one.
Playfield photo on the right was after overhaul and restoration, which I then gave the game to my girlfriend for "caretaker status" so she could enjoy it.
Additionally, I just found two more rare Ted Zale "zipper flipper" titles I have been searching for a while (around six months or so), each $750, shopped and working with good cosmetics just need to do a little road trip again.
If a person does not network, they won't find what they are looking regarding titles.
It requires effort and work, not chance or blind luck.
Either that or a person can keep rolling the dice and hope.
Hope is not a method from my perspective, which was taught during my long military service career.
Personally, I am willing to give an owner more than an asking price IF the game warrants the value base on title condition and status, based on actual corrected values, which is not always properly known by the owner, him or herself.
The owner always remember this type of transaction, and I usually get first choice of future game sales and leads, knows I am not going to flip a game on Ebay, and the network expands again.
People should remember the longest lifetime members of this thing we call "pinball", have a tendency to be the least selfish, and even willing to donate time, effort, machines, or money to ensure that pinball remains vibrant. This includes giving projects away to first time owners in special cases. Something that new collectors or hobbyists should consider today, if they want to move beyond ownership. Taking and never giving is not networking.