Elko, NV
Quoted from phil-lee:9000 dollar Fireball
9000 dollar Dirty Harry
Thats going to hurt come tomorrow.
I just bought a near perfect Dirty Harry for $2700 a year and a half ago. That's nuts.
(Topic ID: 300156)
I thought everything was over priced but I've completely changed my mind after looking at this:
$49,999.97 for a MANUAL !!! Not even the game !!!
Quoted from chad:I they had a Supreme pinball machine , I wonder what that would've brought in?
pasted_image (resized).pngQuoted from cooked71:Btw, what’s the deal with Cosmic Princess (Australia) for $13300? Is Cosmic Princess special? Does the Australian version make it even more special?
Specifically, they were made in Australia - - on it's west coast, Perth, a whole continent away from the closer-to-the-US east coast (Sydney). They only made 336 of them. Only a handful were exported out of the country, so it's rare to begin with and rarer still to see one here. I don't think I've ever seen one up for sale before, though I don't watch all the auctions. Is it worth that? I really like the game, and I know Classics, but I wouldn't spend more than $2K on one, and that would have to be in top condition. But someone_ was willing to pay that, and someone else was willing to pay almost as much and drive the price up. I hope they're happy with it.
You might find this thread interesting:
https://www.aussiearcade.com/topic/67018-stern-cosmic-princess-price-check/
Melbourne
Quoted from bobmathuse:Specifically, they were made in Australia - -
https://www.aussiearcade.com/topic/67018-stern-cosmic-princess-price-check/
Sold an average one for about $800 AUD 6 years ago if that helps. 
Not a great player compared to other classic sterns
Quoted from cooked71:what’s the deal with Cosmic Princess (Australia) for $13300? Is Cosmic Princess special? Does the Australian version make it even more special?
Only 336 ever made - and the only Classic Stern pin never released in the USA.
If anyone wants my Cosmic Princess, which is tidier than the MOP one, for around the same deal, feel free to drop me a PM. Everything is for sale at the right price.
I wonder whether anyone donated machines to the museum and is distraught over what they are selling for.
1. Open museum
2. Take donation machines
3. ??? (In this case, shorthand for go under and auction them off)
4. Profit!
Of course I don't for a second think that was their plan. But hard to think that with these prices, there won't be money, possibly a lot, left over when they pay off their debts...
I imagine they won't just put it in their pockets anyway. Were they incorporated as a non-profit?
Quoted from rotordave:Only 336 ever made - and the only Classic Stern pin never released in the USA.
If anyone wants my Cosmic Princess, which is tidier than the MOP one, for around the same deal, feel free to drop me a PM. Everything is for sale at the right price.
rd
[quoted image]
Shouldn’t those plastic lane guides be one sided just above the flipper? (That would otherwise be slingshots)
Quoted from Lermods:4) some shenanigans going on.
5) Fraudulent/frivolous bidding
Quoted from Dewey68:For people who have been there, what is the average condition of these pins?
A Bally Hi Deal single player EM went for $3900. It was in Average shape with the metal backbox door missing. This is what leads me to believe that there is frivolous bidding going on here... Or do people not care about the condition of the game?
I suspect this was a lot of corporate buyers who took advantage of all of the machines being available at once to pick up 10-30 for employee rec rooms or whatever. If they were using corporate money then the cost is of no consequence. It will be interesting to see what happens for support. If I am right these companies will be looking for maintenance contracts
Quoted from mark532011:I suspect this was a lot of corporate buyers who took advantage of all of the machines being available at once to pick up 10-30 for employee rec rooms or whatever. If they were using corporate money then the cost is of no consequence. It will be interesting to see what happens for support. If I am right these companies will be looking for maintenance contracts
Yeah I know a lot of bosses who are looking to buy 10-30 machines for their employee Rec rooms.
Wait…whut? Is it the 1999 dot com boom?
Regardless, my boss was only looking for 5 games for our Rec room so he had to pass on the auction.
Judge Dread for 9.5k blows my mind. That is a game I have seen many times locally sell between 2-3k. A lot of people like it, but that is not a 10K machine regardless of condition.
Quoted from shlt_thunder:Judge Dread for 9.5k blows my mind. That is a game I have seen many times locally sell between 2-3k. A lot of people like it, but that is not a 10K machine regardless of condition.
It’s impossible to pick one mind-blower, there are dozens of them.
Can’t wait for part 2. Will the fire cool? I have a feeling it’ll be a little calmer a month removed from all the press and hype.
Quoted from cfh:I remember selling a working Judge Dredd to my canadian friend for $300. now that was like 10 or 15 years ago, but still... i could not sell it here in michigan, no one wanted it.
Was that out of that fat container load you guys unboxed on camera?
Quoted from Dewey68:For people who have been there, what is the average condition of these pins?
I visited in 2019 and it was a mixed bag. Latest pins were naturally in great condition but older games were a mixed bag ranging from good to poor to unplayable. It became clear to me that they just had so many games it was impossible to keep them all running.
I recall playing Centaur and it was really a poor experience. Basically most vintage games only fixed to the absolute min so you could plunge the ball. This was a museum where you could see them but not a place were games were all tuned up or anything. I remember walking up to Strange World for example, right flipper was hanging limp - unplayable and cab in poor condition.
Basically for older games expect them to be in routed condition and if it’s better, you’ll be happy.
My guess is many will be surprised once they unwrap.
Some of these games are selling for HEP-restored prices for routed quality. I’m just dumbfounded. What strange, alternate world have I warped into?
19654EBB-F436-4982-91EB-62BCA52E3FD7 (resized).jpeg
Quoted from spinal:What strange, alternate world have I warped into?
The one where non-hobbyists with lots of disposable income learned about this auction from the Today Show and/or New York Times.
If you’re in the pinball restoration business, get ready for all these beaters - once these buyers see what they bought up close, they’ll be looking to you. HEP 4-yr waiting list coming up.
Quoted from spinal:If you’re in the pinball restoration business, get ready for all these beaters - once these buyers see what they bought up close, they’ll be looking to you. HEP 4-yr waiting list coming up.
No thanks! I hope they like “patina”.
Quoted from mark532011:I am not going to post all the sales, but I thought there would be some interest in the first 25 sale values:
The Amazing Spiderman Pinball Machine Gottlieb $3,500
Superman Pinball Machine Atari SS $3,700
Sky Rocket Pinball Machine Bally EM $2,600
Nitro Ground Shaker Pinball Machine Bally SS $2,300
Eight Ball Champ Pinball Machine Bally Midway SS$2,300
Waterworld Pinball Machine Gottlieb $4,900
Time Line Pinball Machine Gottlieb SS $2,800
Spanish Eyes Pinball Machine Williams EM $2,700
Algar Pinball Machine Williams SS $3,300
The Red Max Rare Pinball Machine Bally $5,900
Spin Out Pinball Machine Gottlieb EM $1,700
Special Force Pinball Machine Bally $1,900
Harlem Globetrotters On Tour Pinball Machine Bally SS $3,800
King Kool Pinball Machine Gottlieb EM $1,900
Escape from the Lost World Pinball Machine $2,800
Scorpion Pinball Machine Williams SS $3,000
Comet Pinball Machine Williams $3,000
Hollywood Heat Pinball Machine Gottlieb $3,500
Monte Carlo Pinball Machine Gottlieb $3,400
Big House Pinball Machine Gottlieb #1 $5,300
Diamond Lady Pinball Machine Gottlieb $3,800
Ready Aim Fire Rare Pinball Machine $2,900
Jacks To Open Pinball Machine Mylstar $2,800
Lights Camera Action Pinball Machine Gottlieb $3,000
Gladiators Pinball Machine Gottlieb $2,900
Wow, I picked up my Diamond Lady 6 years ago for $800.
Quoted from Rarehero:Average.
It’s not a literal “museum”.
I have a feeling a few buyers are gonna go “WTF” when they see what they bought.
Or maybe not. There are a lot of folks that don't know what the "street price" values are for pins.
Quoted from Concretehardt:Wait until these new collectors who overpaid for their games have something break and render their overpriced toy unplayable. Lifting the hood and troubleshooting a pinball machine for most here is fairly routine, but for your average person it would be like popping the hood on their car and trying to work on it. The difference as we all know is there is a car repair shop in even the smallest of towns, but pinball repair shops not so much. Many of these new collectors may not understand that pinball machines require regular maintenance and may end up with a pretty looking boat anchor sitting in their living room.
If it's a digital pin, it could easily get serviced by someone - and the owner that just paid 2-3X what he should have for a pin won't have a problem with a few hundred bucks for a tech to put in a new board.
The EMs though are a different story.
Quoted from oldbaby:So far Rocky selling for 10,000 is the big surprise. (The hammer price is the sale price, right?)
Someone in the other thread called it a "white cabinet Rocky". Does that just mean the cabinet isn't the original cabinet, or has been painted over?
Does anyone know if there's anything special about this particular Rocky?
Edit: I checked it out and there's not, they would have mentioned it in the description.
Maybe it has a crotch shot of "ADRIAN"?
Quoted from the9gman:not to mention the 2400 Raven ......seriously
When I think of the "dog days" of Gottlieb, this title pretty much comes to mind.
Quoted from Sparky_89:Holy Crap. Hercules just sold for 18000 + taxes and fees. Historical value on pinside is 4900... How disappointing for the actual player.
The game play for Hercules might be worse than a Bally home title.
Quoted from mark532011:I am not going to post all the sales, but I thought there would be some interest in the first 25 sale values:
I'm archiving all the pinball sales data in this thread:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/banning-museum-of-pinball-auction-price-reference
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Yeah I know a lot of bosses who are looking to buy 10-30 machines for their employee Rec rooms.
Wait…whut? Is it the 1999 dot com boom?
Regardless, my boss was only looking for 5 games for our Rec room so he had to pass on the auction.
In Silly Valley, where engineers are being paid $200K, overpaying by a few $K each for pins for the rec room is no big thing.
Quoted from CrisCrow:yeah some of these are just ridiculous, I havent seen any actual deals mostly just insane prices
An aspect of this auction’s prices, which likely happens more or less on some scale in every auction, is competing bidders who bid each other up for what ever reason. I am guessing that competitors bid each other up as much as possible, so that the competitor has less total to spend per pin. I would think that in the heat of this auction, the bidders have smelled the proverbial blood in the waters and just started bleeding each other out, since they all know they can bid each other up.
How these bidders are allowing themselves to get bid up so far above “market” price is another question. Isn’t it that one of three things is happening? Either (1) the bidders are uninformed and do not realize that they can go somewhere else to get the same thing for less, or (2) the bidders are looking to get in long term, so the prices will be okay for the future, or (3) the bidders are playing a game of chicken.
Is it the case that the Ghost Busters pin is the last item for sale in this auction?
If my theory is correct, then there may be a small chance that the initial bidders have bled each other dry prior to that pin coming on the auction block, and I can sneak in and get a good deal on it for like $6K.
Quoted from tyking:An aspect of this auction’s prices, which likely happens more or less on some scale in every auction, is competing bidders who bid each other up for what ever reason. I am guessing that competitors bid each other up as much as possible, so that the competitor has less total to spend per pin. I would think that in the heat of this auction, the bidders have smelled the proverbial blood in the waters and just started bleeding each other out, since they all know they can bid each other up.
How these bidders are allowing themselves to get bid up so far above “market” price is another question. Isn’t it that one of three things is happening? Either (1) the bidders are uninformed and do not realize that they can go somewhere else to get the same thing for less, or (2) the bidders are looking to get in long term, so the prices will be okay for the future, or (3) the bidders are playing a game of chicken.
Your thoughts may be true to some extent, but not true in other cases. I personally have been looking for a free fall Gotlieb EM 1974 AAB version (or alternatively a sky fall) for a number of years. Free Fall had only 600 or so made. One of them was at the museum. So to just say you can find it somewhere else...no problem...for less money is not really true. See right now if you can find either option on pinside right now?
I didnt care at all what other bidders were bidding on other machines. I only was concerned with that 1 machine.
A machine is worth what someone else will pay for it -----and not necessarily what you would pay. Law of supply and demand.
Quoted from dsupica:So to just say you can find it somewhere else...no problem...for less money is not really true. See right now if you can find either option on pinside right now?
I didnt care at all what other bidders were bidding on other machines. I only was concerned with that 1 machine.
A machine is worth what someone else will pay for it -----and not necessarily what you would pay. Law of supply and demand.
You my friend, are someone I would want to have in an auction with me. I also would not try to bid other people up and bid on pins that I did not actually want, just to see if I could get someone else to over pay for something.
My thought is premised on the pins that you could find on sale somewhere else. For the pins that are ultra-rare, I can see your point. If you and I both want the Sky Fall, and there is only one for sale, and you and I don’t care how much we have to spend to get it, then we are more in the category of auctions for works of art, where the sky’s the limit on prices…
2 months later
Quoted from LTG:Whether you believe or not. It is happening.
You are over thinking the ignorance of a lot of people with money and no idea what they are doing.
LTG : )
Hello Pinside, I'm an ignoramus with money who had no idea what they were doing and have come to take my lumps.
Have loved pinball for quite a while! I remember playing a TSPP over and over again at a local pizza place whenever I had the opportunity. Could even get a high enough score for a free replay once in a while. This was probably about 10 years ago, I was in my late teens.
So when I learned the Banning museum was auctioning all their machines I figured this would be a great time to get my first one! It was right near me so shipping wouldn't be too crazy. And I can get it right away!
And it's the Banning Museum, their machines have to be in pretty great shape, right? No need to go see it in person, I'll just do the online bidding.
And I know auctions typically run a bit high, but there's no way they would go that far above market value. Right??
So clearly, no need to do any research, I mean, pinball machines are pretty rare, people don't even really make them anymore, so getting one would be a steal at any price.
...right?
Dear reader, I now understand now how horribly wrong I was on all counts.
Figured I had to get Back to the Future at any cost, I even own a DeLorean!
The BTTF machine comes around. It ends up being me and another guy trying to outbid each other. Man, this guy is going high. This is probably too high for me. Hmm... I'll just hit that bid button one more time. I'm sure he'll outbid me again.
Well, you all know how that story ended. And I have the receipt to prove it. And it was not $14k, it was $16k after the fees and taxes...
And if you were checking buyer numbers, yes, I bought the Baywatch too. At least that was for a more worthy cause, my dad has loved pinball and wanted a machine for longer than I've been alive. He actually went to the museum and played a bunch of machines and that was his favorite, so I was determined to get it for him. Again, failing to do even the most basic of research into how attainable these machines are and what they should cost.
This BTTF is in middling-to-poor condition. It's clearly been played a lot (which is fine with me, though for the price it obviously would have had to been NIB), a couple rough spots on the playfield but nothing too horrible. Typical wear over the right inlane where every plunge drops the ball and some in the shooter lane, but no other paint wear. The mylar is bubbling over several of the inserts. Broken right ramp at the left side of the base. All 6 jackpot lamps aren't working and neither is the DeLorean D (not a burnt bulb, probably a wire came off). Some warped plastics.
I haven't closely examined the PCBs yet so I'm not sure if there's anything egregious in there, but a quick inspection looks fine.
The cabinet paint is in good condition overall, though the cabinet itself not so much. Some scratches, though a couple chips of wood missing (one pretty large). Lockdown receiver is bent up on one side!? The shooter rod doesn't hit the center of the ball unless adjusted all the way right (no, it's not bent). The lockdown bar had a bent right edge and was super tight until I bent it back out. Playfield doesn't seat unless manhandled and the right hanger is bent up so it hangs a bit lower. It also won't level side-to-side without uneven leg adjustment such that the front of the cabinet is tweaked (probably because of the hanger).
Clearly something bad happened to the cabinet at some point in the past (or maybe during shipping... wouldn't know because I didn't see it in person first! :/). Seems to be out of square.
On the upside, everything is functional and the game plays well! I've been having a ton of fun with it, I love the music and despite the simple ruleset, it's still an enjoyable game.
After the initial few dozen plays, I took out every mechanism, disassembled them completely, and thoroughly cleaned them all. Ball lock, VUK, kickouts, outhole kicker, slings, bumpers, drop targets, flippers. Clearly had never been done, plenty of black dust everywhere. Nothing was horribly bad, all the coil stops and plungers weren't that far gone, they hadn't even reached the point of dragging in the coils.
New coil sleeves all around of course, a flipper rebuild, new flippers (neither was Data East and one was cracked), cut and resoldered a few nearly-broken wires. Vacuumed and cleaned the PF with Naphtha. Waxed with P21S. Shiny new balls.
And no, not a drop of lube or oil anywhere (I at least did my research after getting the machine).
Just waiting on some bumper parts, one had a broken yoke, and I figured I'd just replace a bunch of the bumper parts while I was at it. So got new skirts, bodies, spoons, yokes, fibers, and plungers.
The Baywatch is in better condition, no photos though because it's at my dad's. Just needs a couple flaky VUK switches replaced, I'll give it new sleeves while I'm in there.
Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading a fool's tale. I highly regret paying so much for my machine but it's mine now (not gonna sell it, not like I could recoup much of the cost anyway!). And my sincere apologies for contributing to an already overinflated market. I did not do my research, and I paid for it.
On the upside, I'm definitely hooked and hope to be more active in the community. Even dreaming of building a homebrew someday (and yes, I do understand the magnitude of a project like that!). Hope I didn't make a bad first impression with my stupidity. I promise I'm not typically so airheaded.
Now just to get the other pin I wanted, TSPP, at a sane price...
DSC_2036 (resized).JPGDSC_2037 (resized).JPGDSC_2039 (resized).JPGDSC_2040 (resized).JPG
Quoted from null:I highly regret paying so much for my machine but it's mine now (not gonna sell it, not like I could recoup much of the cost anyway!). And my sincere apologies for contributing to an already overinflated market. I did not do my research, and I paid for it.
Not a total loss. You have the games. You learned. And are part of the great community of pinball.
Welcome my friend and best wishes on your growing collection.
LTG : )
Sandviken
Quoted from null:Hello Pinside, I'm an ignoramus with money who had no idea what they were doing and have come to take my lumps.
Have loved pinball for quite a while! I remember playing a TSPP over and over again at a local pizza place whenever I had the opportunity. Could even get a high enough score for a free replay once in a while. This was probably about 10 years ago, I was in my late teens.
So when I learned the Banning museum was auctioning all their machines I figured this would be a great time to get my first one! It was right near me so shipping wouldn't be too crazy. And I can get it right away!
And it's the Banning Museum, their machines have to be in pretty great shape, right? No need to go see it in person, I'll just do the online bidding.
And I know auctions typically run a bit high, but there's no way they would go that far above market value. Right??
So clearly, no need to do any research, I mean, pinball machines are pretty rare, people don't even really make them anymore, so getting one would be a steal at any price.
...right?
Dear reader, I now understand now how horribly wrong I was on all counts.
Figured I had to get Back to the Future at any cost, I even own a DeLorean!
The BTTF machine comes around. It ends up being me and another guy trying to outbid each other. Man, this guy is going high. This is probably too high for me. Hmm... I'll just hit that bid button one more time. I'm sure he'll outbid me again.
Well, you all know how that story ended. And I have the receipt to prove it. And it was not $14k, it was $16k after the fees and taxes...
And if you were checking buyer numbers, yes, I bought the Baywatch too. At least that was for a more worthy cause, my dad has loved pinball and wanted a machine for longer than I've been alive. He actually went to the museum and played a bunch of machines and that was his favorite, so I was determined to get it for him. Again, failing to do even the most basic of research into how attainable these machines are and what they should cost.
This BTTF is in middling-to-poor condition. It's clearly been played a lot (which is fine with me, though for the price it obviously would have had to been NIB), a couple rough spots on the playfield but nothing too horrible. Typical wear over the right inlane where every plunge drops the ball and some in the shooter lane, but no other paint wear. The mylar is bubbling over several of the inserts. Broken right ramp at the left side of the base. All 6 jackpot lamps aren't working and neither is the DeLorean D (not a burnt bulb, probably a wire came off). Some warped plastics.
I haven't closely examined the PCBs yet so I'm not sure if there's anything egregious in there, but a quick inspection looks fine.
The cabinet paint is in good condition overall, though the cabinet itself not so much. Some scratches, though a couple chips of wood missing (one pretty large). Lockdown receiver is bent up on one side!? The shooter rod doesn't hit the center of the ball unless adjusted all the way right (no, it's not bent). The lockdown bar had a bent right edge and was super tight until I bent it back out. Playfield doesn't seat unless manhandled and the right hanger is bent up so it hangs a bit lower. It also won't level side-to-side without uneven leg adjustment such that the front of the cabinet is tweaked (probably because of the hanger).
Clearly something bad happened to the cabinet at some point in the past (or maybe during shipping... wouldn't know because I didn't see it in person first! :/). Seems to be out of square.
On the upside, everything is functional and the game plays well! I've been having a ton of fun with it, I love the music and despite the simple ruleset, it's still an enjoyable game.
After the initial few dozen plays, I took out every mechanism, disassembled them completely, and thoroughly cleaned them all. Ball lock, VUK, kickouts, outhole kicker, slings, bumpers, drop targets, flippers. Clearly had never been done, plenty of black dust everywhere. Nothing was horribly bad, all the coil stops and plungers weren't that far gone, they hadn't even reached the point of dragging in the coils.
New coil sleeves all around of course, a flipper rebuild, new flippers (neither was Data East and one was cracked), cut and resoldered a few nearly-broken wires. Vacuumed and cleaned the PF with Naphtha. Waxed with P21S. Shiny new balls.
And no, not a drop of lube or oil anywhere (I at least did my research after getting the machine).
Just waiting on some bumper parts, one had a broken yoke, and I figured I'd just replace a bunch of the bumper parts while I was at it. So got new skirts, bodies, spoons, yokes, fibers, and plungers.
The Baywatch is in better condition, no photos though because it's at my dad's. Just needs a couple flaky VUK switches replaced, I'll give it new sleeves while I'm in there.
Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading a fool's tale. I highly regret paying so much for my machine but it's mine now (not gonna sell it, not like I could recoup much of the cost anyway!). And my sincere apologies for contributing to an already overinflated market. I did not do my research, and I paid for it.
On the upside, I'm definitely hooked and hope to be more active in the community. Even dreaming of building a homebrew someday (and yes, I do understand the magnitude of a project like that!). Hope I didn't make a bad first impression with my stupidity. I promise I'm not typically so airheaded.
Now just to get the other pin I wanted, TSPP, at a sane price...
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Well, it takes some balls to raise a hand in this crowd and say: "I was the one who paid $16k for a BTTF". 
You and your wallet have learned your lesson, now it is just a matter of moving on and enjoy your new hobby.
Quoted from null:Hello Pinside, I'm an ignoramus with money who had no idea what they were doing and have come to take my lumps.
As much as most here don't like seeing the prices explode, I think everyone is happy to see new people enter the hobby.
Also yeah that sucks, lesson learned always do your research. Most everyone has overpaid at one time or another.
Just be patient on modern second hand games (unless you have to have it), If/when the supply chain heals a bit prices should level out a little. Personally I'll be sticking with 60's-80's era machines and NIB until then.
Quoted from null:Hello Pinside, I'm an ignoramus with money who had no idea what they were doing and have come to take my lumps.
Thanks for coming in and posting your story. Welcome to Pinside and the hobby, errrr... "lifestyle".
Quoted from null:Hello Pinside, I'm an ignoramus with money who had no idea what they were doing and have come to take my lumps.
Have loved pinball for quite a while! I remember playing a TSPP over and over again at a local pizza place whenever I had the opportunity. Could even get a high enough score for a free replay once in a while. This was probably about 10 years ago, I was in my late teens.
So when I learned the Banning museum was auctioning all their machines I figured this would be a great time to get my first one! It was right near me so shipping wouldn't be too crazy. And I can get it right away!
And it's the Banning Museum, their machines have to be in pretty great shape, right? No need to go see it in person, I'll just do the online bidding.
And I know auctions typically run a bit high, but there's no way they would go that far above market value. Right??
So clearly, no need to do any research, I mean, pinball machines are pretty rare, people don't even really make them anymore, so getting one would be a steal at any price.
...right?
Dear reader, I now understand now how horribly wrong I was on all counts.
Figured I had to get Back to the Future at any cost, I even own a DeLorean!
The BTTF machine comes around. It ends up being me and another guy trying to outbid each other. Man, this guy is going high. This is probably too high for me. Hmm... I'll just hit that bid button one more time. I'm sure he'll outbid me again.
Well, you all know how that story ended. And I have the receipt to prove it. And it was not $14k, it was $16k after the fees and taxes...
And if you were checking buyer numbers, yes, I bought the Baywatch too. At least that was for a more worthy cause, my dad has loved pinball and wanted a machine for longer than I've been alive. He actually went to the museum and played a bunch of machines and that was his favorite, so I was determined to get it for him. Again, failing to do even the most basic of research into how attainable these machines are and what they should cost.
This BTTF is in middling-to-poor condition. It's clearly been played a lot (which is fine with me, though for the price it obviously would have had to been NIB), a couple rough spots on the playfield but nothing too horrible. Typical wear over the right inlane where every plunge drops the ball and some in the shooter lane, but no other paint wear. The mylar is bubbling over several of the inserts. Broken right ramp at the left side of the base. All 6 jackpot lamps aren't working and neither is the DeLorean D (not a burnt bulb, probably a wire came off). Some warped plastics.
I haven't closely examined the PCBs yet so I'm not sure if there's anything egregious in there, but a quick inspection looks fine.
The cabinet paint is in good condition overall, though the cabinet itself not so much. Some scratches, though a couple chips of wood missing (one pretty large). Lockdown receiver is bent up on one side!? The shooter rod doesn't hit the center of the ball unless adjusted all the way right (no, it's not bent). The lockdown bar had a bent right edge and was super tight until I bent it back out. Playfield doesn't seat unless manhandled and the right hanger is bent up so it hangs a bit lower. It also won't level side-to-side without uneven leg adjustment such that the front of the cabinet is tweaked (probably because of the hanger).
Clearly something bad happened to the cabinet at some point in the past (or maybe during shipping... wouldn't know because I didn't see it in person first! :/). Seems to be out of square.
On the upside, everything is functional and the game plays well! I've been having a ton of fun with it, I love the music and despite the simple ruleset, it's still an enjoyable game.
After the initial few dozen plays, I took out every mechanism, disassembled them completely, and thoroughly cleaned them all. Ball lock, VUK, kickouts, outhole kicker, slings, bumpers, drop targets, flippers. Clearly had never been done, plenty of black dust everywhere. Nothing was horribly bad, all the coil stops and plungers weren't that far gone, they hadn't even reached the point of dragging in the coils.
New coil sleeves all around of course, a flipper rebuild, new flippers (neither was Data East and one was cracked), cut and resoldered a few nearly-broken wires. Vacuumed and cleaned the PF with Naphtha. Waxed with P21S. Shiny new balls.
And no, not a drop of lube or oil anywhere (I at least did my research after getting the machine).
Just waiting on some bumper parts, one had a broken yoke, and I figured I'd just replace a bunch of the bumper parts while I was at it. So got new skirts, bodies, spoons, yokes, fibers, and plungers.
The Baywatch is in better condition, no photos though because it's at my dad's. Just needs a couple flaky VUK switches replaced, I'll give it new sleeves while I'm in there.
Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading a fool's tale. I highly regret paying so much for my machine but it's mine now (not gonna sell it, not like I could recoup much of the cost anyway!). And my sincere apologies for contributing to an already overinflated market. I did not do my research, and I paid for it.
On the upside, I'm definitely hooked and hope to be more active in the community. Even dreaming of building a homebrew someday (and yes, I do understand the magnitude of a project like that!). Hope I didn't make a bad first impression with my stupidity. I promise I'm not typically so airheaded.
Now just to get the other pin I wanted, TSPP, at a sane price...
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Welcome, at least you are not afraid to get your hands dirty and make your new BTTF better. Bolt it to the floor and save that receipt for the story. BTW, your dad is going to love his BW, it's a great game.
You will still be enjoying your games way past the point where the price ever mattered.
There’s an awful lot of us who paid too much for our first pin.
Welcome to the community!
Appreciate the warm welcome and well-wishes.
Quoted from RyanStl:Welcome, at least you are not afraid to get your hands dirty and make your new BTTF better.
Certainly not! I do electrical and mechanical engineering by trade, so happy to service my own pins. Nothing even that complicated until you get into PCB-level repairs (more than a simple transistor swap or something, anyway).
Omg you paid $16,000 for a route beater BTTF! Omg!
Paying 2X the value maybe explainable… but what are we talking here 5-7X based on the condition in the photos that’s a little hard to swallow an tilts the scale from uninformed to stupid… good luck to you…
For those who may be offended by my bluntness my apologies but man that was stupid…
I'm just glad your story ends with you still being happy about the machine, despite the grandiose price. Welcome to the hobby, sorry shit's a bit crazy here.
I highly recommend buying a 2nd-hand Stern Pro 2 years after it comes out. Best value for the money right now, considering the costs of most used pins.
Or get into EMs. Another scarcely tapped point of huge value. They're so inexpensive you can hire a local tech to fix them if the EM tech isn't your thing.
Quoted from Pintopia:Omg you paid $16,000 for a route beater BTTF! Omg!
Paying 2X the value maybe explainable… but what are we talking here 5-7X based on the condition in the photos that’s a little hard to swallow an tilts the scale from uninformed to stupid… good luck to you…
For those who may be offended by my bluntness my apologies but man that was stupid…
Yep, agreed, it was stupid... but unfortunately, I can't change the past, only make better decisions in the future.
Quoted from null:Yep, agreed, it was stupid... but unfortunately, I can't change the past, only make better decisions in the future.
That's a great attitude. Just pretend it's worth 16k to you. Problem solved!
null
That took a lot of guts to post that you were the person who bought it. Thanks for the background and congratulations on getting it up and running to the condition that you want the machine to be in. Please continue to enjoy it.
Congrats also for making your dad very happy .
Welcome to the hobby and to you and everyone here - hope you have safe, happy and healthy holiday!
Quoted from null:Hello Pinside, I'm an ignoramus with money who had no idea what they were doing and have come to take my lumps.
Have loved pinball for quite a while! I remember playing a TSPP over and over again at a local pizza place whenever I had the opportunity. Could even get a high enough score for a free replay once in a while. This was probably about 10 years ago, I was in my late teens.
So when I learned the Banning museum was auctioning all their machines I figured this would be a great time to get my first one! It was right near me so shipping wouldn't be too crazy. And I can get it right away!
And it's the Banning Museum, their machines have to be in pretty great shape, right? No need to go see it in person, I'll just do the online bidding.
And I know auctions typically run a bit high, but there's no way they would go that far above market value. Right??
So clearly, no need to do any research, I mean, pinball machines are pretty rare, people don't even really make them anymore, so getting one would be a steal at any price.
...right?
Dear reader, I now understand now how horribly wrong I was on all counts.
Figured I had to get Back to the Future at any cost, I even own a DeLorean!
The BTTF machine comes around. It ends up being me and another guy trying to outbid each other. Man, this guy is going high. This is probably too high for me. Hmm... I'll just hit that bid button one more time. I'm sure he'll outbid me again.
Well, you all know how that story ended. And I have the receipt to prove it. And it was not $14k, it was $16k after the fees and taxes...
And if you were checking buyer numbers, yes, I bought the Baywatch too. At least that was for a more worthy cause, my dad has loved pinball and wanted a machine for longer than I've been alive. He actually went to the museum and played a bunch of machines and that was his favorite, so I was determined to get it for him. Again, failing to do even the most basic of research into how attainable these machines are and what they should cost.
This BTTF is in middling-to-poor condition. It's clearly been played a lot (which is fine with me, though for the price it obviously would have had to been NIB), a couple rough spots on the playfield but nothing too horrible. Typical wear over the right inlane where every plunge drops the ball and some in the shooter lane, but no other paint wear. The mylar is bubbling over several of the inserts. Broken right ramp at the left side of the base. All 6 jackpot lamps aren't working and neither is the DeLorean D (not a burnt bulb, probably a wire came off). Some warped plastics.
I haven't closely examined the PCBs yet so I'm not sure if there's anything egregious in there, but a quick inspection looks fine.
The cabinet paint is in good condition overall, though the cabinet itself not so much. Some scratches, though a couple chips of wood missing (one pretty large). Lockdown receiver is bent up on one side!? The shooter rod doesn't hit the center of the ball unless adjusted all the way right (no, it's not bent). The lockdown bar had a bent right edge and was super tight until I bent it back out. Playfield doesn't seat unless manhandled and the right hanger is bent up so it hangs a bit lower. It also won't level side-to-side without uneven leg adjustment such that the front of the cabinet is tweaked (probably because of the hanger).
Clearly something bad happened to the cabinet at some point in the past (or maybe during shipping... wouldn't know because I didn't see it in person first! :/). Seems to be out of square.
On the upside, everything is functional and the game plays well! I've been having a ton of fun with it, I love the music and despite the simple ruleset, it's still an enjoyable game.
After the initial few dozen plays, I took out every mechanism, disassembled them completely, and thoroughly cleaned them all. Ball lock, VUK, kickouts, outhole kicker, slings, bumpers, drop targets, flippers. Clearly had never been done, plenty of black dust everywhere. Nothing was horribly bad, all the coil stops and plungers weren't that far gone, they hadn't even reached the point of dragging in the coils.
New coil sleeves all around of course, a flipper rebuild, new flippers (neither was Data East and one was cracked), cut and resoldered a few nearly-broken wires. Vacuumed and cleaned the PF with Naphtha. Waxed with P21S. Shiny new balls.
And no, not a drop of lube or oil anywhere (I at least did my research after getting the machine).
Just waiting on some bumper parts, one had a broken yoke, and I figured I'd just replace a bunch of the bumper parts while I was at it. So got new skirts, bodies, spoons, yokes, fibers, and plungers.
The Baywatch is in better condition, no photos though because it's at my dad's. Just needs a couple flaky VUK switches replaced, I'll give it new sleeves while I'm in there.
Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading a fool's tale. I highly regret paying so much for my machine but it's mine now (not gonna sell it, not like I could recoup much of the cost anyway!). And my sincere apologies for contributing to an already overinflated market. I did not do my research, and I paid for it.
On the upside, I'm definitely hooked and hope to be more active in the community. Even dreaming of building a homebrew someday (and yes, I do understand the magnitude of a project like that!). Hope I didn't make a bad first impression with my stupidity. I promise I'm not typically so airheaded.
Now just to get the other pin I wanted, TSPP, at a sane price...
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Well I give you much credit. We've all made some mistakes and done tings others might not agree with, but forget about it, enjoy your machines, and have a great time!
Chris
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