It sounds like you're a prime candidate to visit this little thread if you're looking for actual conversation.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-pinball-price-discussion-thread/page/14

Yeah, if you find that video please let me know. Declaring that your pin company has a political affiliation is ill-advised at best, and foolish at worst.

They were a profitable investment, but not necessarily a "good" one.

If Frank sells a used coffee mug to Bob for $5, and then he sells it to Jen for $50, and then she sells it to Frank for $500, it's been a profitable investment for everyone so far. But it's also a horrible (albeit lucky) investment.

The mentality of "it's always made money" is a defining characteristic of bubbles and pyramid schemes. May it be tech and Bernie Madoff in the late 90s, housing in the late 2000s, or bitcoin in 2022. Some things "always make money" (like Johnson and Johnson stock) and aren't bubbles, but every asset that's in a bubble "always makes money"...until it doesn't. The only time you can be sure there's a bubble is when you see it pop...but there are plenty of warning signs along the way.

I'll add that it can be intoxicating to buy things and "know" you'll make money on them - especially if they're recreational items. If I thought I might lose 20% on a pin when I go to sell it next year, I'd be slowing my buying. I get concerned when we start hitting the "Weeee! What could go wrong!" stage. With pins, houses, or whatever.

It's too bad when you can tell which two news networks people are watching based on their posts on a pinball enthusiast site.

If you think giving Bernie Madoff money for his pyramid scheme was "a good investment" just because it happened to make you money...well, that's where you and I would disagree.