Quoted from Miguel351:

Those "production" models you speak of were made 11 YEARS after Capcom's prototypes by a completely different company. They are not originals.

I see NO difference between the PMI/IPB BBB's status as "continuation models"(as I'll call them), versus that of PPS's MM "continuation models" when it comes to collectibility and originality. Neither are part of the original factory's original run of the original machine.

That's a fact.

Quoted from teekee:

No, he's wrong… the fact that Gene had to have a few minor parts made from scratch means nothing. Capcom probably would have done the same thing since protos and production units differ and minor changes and improvements are usually made