Just thinking the other day about the continuing rise in prices of used pinball machines and whilst it seems that all the various reasons behind it have be debated and argued at length on this site, there is one more reason that I have never seen mentioned.

Is it possible that the continued work of professional and talented amateur restorers are gradually depleting the available stock of "player" machines and turning them into "collectors" machines? Every year several thousand machines must undergo this transformation, so raising the average condition of any pinball and so casuing an increase in price. This means that it is increasingly difficult to find decent, working, players machines at an affordable price.

Just a thought.

Being based in mainland Europe I have considered a long trip to Italy or Portugal to pick up 10 or 20 pins as they seem to be available and cheaper in these countries. I could not bring myself to buy that kind of quantity without seeing them in the flesh and getting the measure of who I was buying them from.

Restoring them would not be a problem as I have done plenty before, but I restore to 100% solid working decent machines, not HEP standards! This way I can sell them on for a fair price and they can continued to be enjoyed by the many, not just those with deep pockets.