(Topic ID: 166598)

Price Check: Fathom

By cottonm4

7 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

You

Linked Games

#1 7 years ago

Bally Fathom: What is this popular pin worth if you are a seller? What is it worth if you are a buyer?

What is it worth is in crappy condition?

In players' condition?

Above average condition?

I'm looking for price ranges.

Thanks.

#2 7 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

What is this popular pin worth if you are a seller? What is it worth if you are a buyer?

Should be the same amount.

#3 7 years ago
Quoted from fiberdude120:

Should be the same amount.

Should and are, are very different things in threads like this

#4 7 years ago
Quoted from Slim64:

Should and are, are very different things in threads like this

No thats incorrect. The value is still the same it just appears to be diff between the seller or buyer.

#5 7 years ago

Bally Fathom: What is this popular pin worth if you are a seller? $5000

What is it worth if you are a buyer? $1200

What is it worth is in crappy condition? $3000

In players' condition? $4000

Above average condition? $6000

#6 7 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

Bally Fathom: What is this popular pin worth if you are a seller? What is it worth if you are a buyer?
What is it worth is in crappy condition?
In players' condition?
Above average condition?
I'm looking for price ranges.
Thanks.

I'm off too much to add an opinion

#7 7 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

Bally Fathom: What is this popular pin worth if you are a seller? What is it worth if you are a buyer?
What is it worth is in crappy condition?
In players' condition?
Above average condition?
I'm looking for price ranges.
Thanks.

crappy non working $2000 and under
players $3000
above average $4000+
Restored $6000+

#8 7 years ago

One of the worst buys in pinball, really.

#9 7 years ago
Quoted from jahbarron:

One of the worst buys in pinball, really.

Or one of the best depending on how you look at it. It's a game that's low production that continues to go up in value and demand. Plus its fun a heck. Sure you can buy other games with a lot more toys for the same price but that doesn't make them better.

#10 7 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

Bally Fathom: What is this popular pin worth if you are a seller? What is it worth if you are a buyer?
What is it worth is in crappy condition?
In players' condition?
Above average condition?
I'm looking for price ranges.
Thanks.

Based on my own experience in acquiring a Fathom this year, here are my findings

In Players Condition, you are most likely looking at $1,800-$2,500.

In Above Average Condition, you are most likely looking at $2,700 - $3,500.

In restored, mint or basically 9+ condition, you are in the $4K+ range now. The + completely depends on the seller. I have seen some as high as $8K and as low as $4K. Huge gap.

I ended up finding a player for $1,800. And I expect to be $5K into a total restoration when all is said and done.

Good luck with your search.

Marcus

#11 7 years ago
Quoted from Xerico:

Based on my own experience in acquiring a Fathom this year, here are my findings
In Players Condition, you are most likely looking at $1,800-$2,500.
In Above Average Condition, you are most likely looking at $2,700 - $3,500.
In restored, mint or basically 9+ condition, you are in the $4K+ range now. The + completely depends on the seller. I have seen some as high as $8K and as low as $4K. Huge gap.
I ended up finding a player for $1,800. And I expect to be $5K into a total restoration when all is said and done.
Good luck with your search.
Marcus

Concur

#12 7 years ago
Quoted from Xerico:

Based on my own experience in acquiring a Fathom this year, here are my findings
In Players Condition, you are most likely looking at $1,800-$2,500.
In Above Average Condition, you are most likely looking at $2,700 - $3,500.
In restored, mint or basically 9+ condition, you are in the $4K+ range now. The + completely depends on the seller. I have seen some as high as $8K and as low as $4K. Huge gap.
I ended up finding a player for $1,800. And I expect to be $5K into a total restoration when all is said and done.
Good luck with your search.
Marcus

Let me know if you find a players machine...I like that range

#13 7 years ago
Quoted from Xerico:

Based on my own experience in acquiring a Fathom this year, here are my findings
In Players Condition, you are most likely looking at $1,800-$2,500.
In Above Average Condition, you are most likely looking at $2,700 - $3,500.
In restored, mint or basically 9+ condition, you are in the $4K+ range now. The + completely depends on the seller. I have seen some as high as $8K and as low as $4K. Huge gap.
I ended up finding a player for $1,800. And I expect to be $5K into a total restoration when all is said and done.
Good luck with your search.
Marcus

I would like to get one and have been following it, and I think that looks pretty good. But the real problem is finding one at all, in any condition. If you want one, you'd better be ready to act when the time comes.

I think this is the last one sold here. Total elapsed time from the posting of the ad to the closing of the deal: 5 MINUTES!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-nice-fathom-bally-1980#post-3211791

#14 7 years ago
Quoted from fiberdude120:

No thats incorrect. The value is still the same it just appears to be diff between the seller or buyer.

We agree

#15 7 years ago
Quoted from jgentry:

Or one of the best depending on how you look at it.

I'm looking at it from a logical, middle-class standpoint.

#16 7 years ago
Quoted from jahbarron:

I'm looking at it from a logical, middle-class standpoint.

There's nothing logical about owning pinball machines and your pizza cat freaks me out.

Kidding aside I still don't see your logic though. Fathom is a game that has consistently been trending upward and has held it's value or increased it's value over the last 6 years as much as any other game out there. Any NIB purchase is the worst value in pinball. You open the box and lose money. All of the 1980's bally classics are trending upward. More people are falling in love with them and there's not enough decent condition ones to meet the market demand. That's not likely to change soon either.

#17 7 years ago
Quoted from jgentry:

All of the 1980's bally classics are trending upward. More people are falling in love with them and there's not enough decent condition ones to meet the market demand. That's not likely to change soon either.

Agreed...I started to see the light about a year and a half ago, which was very late in the game. My pocket book will be taking a beating for it. Everyone likes different games...that's why this hobby is so great. I would take Fathom over a lot of newer games...as an example I'd take a Fathom over WWE Pro...I know it's an easy example, but one game is 36 years old and the other just a couple.

Fathom isn't a difficult game to grasp the rules....but trying to rip the lit spinning while in 3 ball multiball, let alone 2 ball multiball...gives me way more satisfaction than pinning an opponent on WWE.

My 2 cents

And I haven't even started to talk about the artwork

#18 7 years ago

Thank you all for taking time from your valuable work schedules for your (quick) answers.

#19 7 years ago

I can relate to what Captive_Ball has stated. I recently started to "see the light" when I played an Eight Ball deluxe on a trip out to California 5 or 6 months ago. Most of my experience had been on newer sterns and some of the classic Williams/Bally machines from the 90's. Now I have an EBD LE in my collection and a Fathom on the way. My eight ball deluxe gets more play than any of my other pins at the moment.

I never thought I would see myself paying 4-6k for a 35 year old pin but it is happening. Obviously these prices are for a restored or close to restored quality pin. My thought is that the price is going to continue to rise on these pins as they are becoming tougher and tougher to find.

my 2 cents...

#20 7 years ago

As a point of reference, how old is everybody here? If you don't mind my asking. I retired two years ago at 62 and just turned 64. I need a hobby. 30 years ago is was old solid axle Corvettes. Then I got out of hobbies when my work turned into a 10/7 job for many years.

I'm bored. Don't like crawling under cars anymore. I have a couple of guitars that my fumble fingers have regulated to living under the bed. I never got the hunting, or fishing bug. I love the water but never owned a boat---defined as a hole in the water you throw money into

Instead, I stumbled into pinball a couple of years ago and now I am completely rearranging my house. I thought it was going to be a cheap hobby but some times feel like my pinball machines are anchors for the boats and I'm on the wrong end of the anchor chain.

I did not retire rich and do have a budget to watch but I do have some dollars to spend. And plenty of time on my hands. I'm trying to be wise about my pin purchases but if I see one I want then I am going to chase it

So, where is everybody else in this competitive pinball buying landscape?

#21 7 years ago

I'm 37, so I was born around when these machines were in production and first popping up in arcades. I'm likely on the younger side of guys that are becoming increasingly interested in this era of game. I don't have the nostalgic feeling of playing them when I was growing up....games like CV, TOTAN, and MB fill that void. Like Pmaino, I was only interested in DMD titles when I really got into the hobby deeply about 4 years ago. Bally/Williams WPC machines were all I really cared at first...all the A-List titles. I have since progressed in the hobby, I have gotten out of that phase and have opened my eyes to other eras of games. The challenge with EMs and early SS games is different, but no less still challenging....just a different one. I love to shoot ramps (modern games), but I also love to rip spinners...and the sound effects that go with them. Hitting a lit spinner on Flash Gordon where the pitch goes up as it spins is a real thrill.

This is why the value of these machines increases....the great shots and artwork of this era is pretty difficult to beat. I think the casual player, which is the one I have come over to play my games (neighbor/co-worker/family), has a lot more fun playing them....and is not as intimidated as the modern machines with crazy light shows and lots of ramps....not too mention too many rules to explain.

Just my thoughts

#22 7 years ago

Here in metro Detroit my friend just sold his very nice Fathom to another one of our friends and he Got $3200.00 and the other party was happy to pay that amount.
So Friend to friend in very good condition $3200.00

IMO it is way over hyped and over priced but to each his own.
GLWS

Sir Brian of Ortonville

#23 7 years ago

I am 34 years old. The first game I remember playing all the time was attack from Mars at my local Nathans that had a decent arcade in the back. As I got older, one of my buddies dads bought a Bally Special Force and that was the game I played the most.

My favorite games currently are EBD, Whirlwind and TWD. EBD was made before I was born and Whirlwind I would have only been around 8 years old. So I can appreciate games from all era's.

#24 7 years ago

I'm mid 30's.
Fathom is 1500-5500k, condition depending.
It is overpriced... but that didn't stop me from building one.

For the naysayers, mine was pieced together for under my value above. A lot of times with older games, it comes down to how LONG you are willing to wait AND how far you are willing to drive, to get a game for a decent price. I waited 3 years and drive 500 miles.

Had a nice Centaur and it felt like a giant gimmick to me and it was lacking true gameplay. Fathom is unique and "deep". I also recommend using an original -35 PCB so that you can implement the "home rom", adding a cool skill shot.

#25 7 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

As a point of reference, how old is everybody here? If you don't mind my asking. I retired two years ago at 62 and just turned 64. I need a hobby. 30 years ago is was old solid axle Corvettes. Then I got out of hobbies when my work turned into a 10/7 job for many years.
I'm bored. Don't like crawling under cars anymore. I have a couple of guitars that my fumble fingers have regulated to living under the bed. I never got the hunting, or fishing bug. I love the water but never owned a boat---defined as a hole in the water you throw money into
Instead, I stumbled into pinball a couple of years ago and now I am completely rearranging my house. I thought it was going to be a cheap hobby but some times feel like my pinball machines are anchors for the boats and I'm on the wrong end of the anchor chain.
I did not retire rich and do have a budget to watch but I do have some dollars to spend. And plenty of time on my hands. I'm trying to be wise about my pin purchases but if I see one I want then I am going to chase it
So, where is everybody else in this competitive pinball buying landscape?

Here's one from the old man camp, I'm right behind you by just a few years. I hope to be able to retire pretty soon. I had been planning for some time to get into model railroading but recently started buying a few pinball machines. I may mess with both when I retire and have time on my hands. I have guitars too.

Everything depends on what you like to do. I do like playing the pinballs and I do it a lot. I like the idea of setting up a cool game room. But what I really like to do is to fiddle around with stuff, make stuff, fix stuff, and that sort of thing, especially if I can learn new stuff. Model railroading and pinball are very similar in that they each can take you down paths in all sorts of directions, these include woodworking, metalworking, artistry/painting, modelmaking/plastics, electronics, computer programming, and more. I love the idea of finding old pinball machines and going to work on them to bring them up to optimal operating condition and beautiful looks. I have been inspired by many of the build threads you can find on Pinside. I can see that a single machine could keep me occupied for months on end messing around with that kind of stuff.

You can also get into pinball machines for reasonable money, if you like the older machines, which I do. I have some really nice pinball machines that cost less than what some people spend just for a topper for one of their modern ones

#26 7 years ago

If you live in Australia expect to pay 5k for one in any condition, no discussion/negotiating on condition, take the one that comes up for sale about once every five years straight away or miss out a week later.

One great feature with Fathom which I love & have not never heard anyone mention before is when you re-capture a ball in one of the traps during multiball the 3 inline targets do not reset in front of it as they normally do with single ball play, the ball just stays trapped. if you send the other remaining ball right down to where the ball is in the saucer & roll over the star rollover just next to the saucer, their is the "Help me" call out. Very nice touch!

#27 7 years ago

Snyper and xerico are realistic and median values. The lower end prices are available just not really on pinside because too many hard on's for fathom. Dont get me wrong i love the game, i bought a cpr playfield for the art.

#28 7 years ago
Quoted from nikpinball:

i bought a cpr playfield for the art.

Whatever. You could've just printed it out at the library and saved nine hundred bucks.

#29 7 years ago

I Have both Fathom & Centaur, yes, Centaur does has lots of gimmicks, but still lots of skill shots too, fathom is unique with gameplay. The home roms are a must, as snyper2099 stated, I like the fact the home roms uses the extra speech that was originally programmed in but remained unused in gameplay with original roms was now used, extra speech calls are perfectly placed.

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
$ 18.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
Eproms

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/price-check-fathom?hl=pmaino and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.