This sums it up.....I'd put better games from Stern and the start of JJP at the top in order of importance....

Not sure how long it can be sustained though, 2 more years, 5, 20?

There is only so much $$$ to soak up the newer higher priced inventory hitting the market and its the private homeowner that's driving the market now......

Just take a peak at all the For Sale threads over the last few months and people having to severely lower the prices or not even be able to make a sale.....some people think its just the "summer dive"...I think that's wishful thinking, older pins will suffer and revert back to the mean as guys try to raise disposable cash to buy the next new "must have"......

As for the future generation of kids, pinball will never amount to anything unless its on a video screen....that, I"m sure of!

Exactly, I'm probably out on Predator because I'm in for Woz, Raza, ST and Hobbit and will pick up an AC/DC premium, that gives me 9 and no matter what I'm going up to a max of 12, like to keep it at 10 and then when 1 enters, 1 leaves....

The only pin I can see myself ever getting rid of right now is SM.....

The "correction" or adjustment is in progress, on a slow roll down but not for the newer pins with the newer technology like Stern and JJP are pumping out right now....that will eventually come....

The whole "LE" thing will tank in my opinion as time goes by because the more LE versions you have of any pin maker the novelty of it wears off and the reality sets in.....people can be just as happy with a premium that plays the exact same way the "LE" at 400 or 500 really isn't LE anyhow.....

The Hobbit is going to be an SE, or special edition at 1500......

I also collect vintage basketball cards and when card companies made a resurgence it was all about the LE, SE, 1 of 25, exquisite, pinnacle version, etc.....at first, the Michael Jordan LE autos went for a fortune as the "chase" was on, and then Lebron, etc......now, after so many years, there are so many "limited" version autos of this that and the other that its been played out and the reality has set in for those "chasers"....after all, if you buy and LE of anything, you have at least somewhat of a "collector" motive......

We are already at the "super LE" level with boutique guys like Jpop and SkitB, I think that model has a better chance of long term survival for the "collector", especially Jpop, than the current Stern, JJP approach...but its working now......

The people that are sitting on a Lotr le, Tron le, Sm black, Ac/dc le etc.....and thinking the price will go up and up aren't thinking about the next new "greatest pins ever" about to be produced by all these companies.....the bloom will slowly fade off the rose over time and so will the value, for the collector part.....Ac/dc and music pins have a better chance to maintain value over the long run....

Anyhow, its a fun time to have pinball as a hobby! I just try and enjoy playing my pins and conversing with you guys! Value doesn't mean much to me except when I'm buying

Ahhh yes, remember those days well, what a set that 86 fleer is, and 87 then the volume went with hoops and skybox turned it to crap and along came Upper Deck and it wasn't until the Jordan autos went nuts that the collector chase was on.....

I have been to several Jordan fantasy camps out in Vegas and even there, the first year or so the cards he signed for the coaches and campers were in huge demand....fast forward several years and now, well, its just another Jordan auto....each coach/player would get 2 autos each, and it was kind of funny watching Calhoun, Coach K, etc...line up to have items signed by MJ....

I have jersey's, balls, photos, anything you can think of signed by him, now its who cares, the "LE" has worn off, although I do have a killer photo framed of him hitting the jumper against Georgetown to win the championship signed by hm, Coach Smith and Roy Williams.....

I think it will take a few more years of the "LE" stage to weed out people and get them to say "so what", its not really and LE and I can have a pro or premium and be happy with that....

Pinball has got to keep making huge advancements with LCD, online play versus others, etc. to bring more kids and folks in......could happen, thanks to JJP, Stern and Jpop....and others....

btw, I only collect 48 Bowmans, 57 Topps, 61 fleer, 69 tall boys, and 71 aba for vintage, all PSA graded only! In high grade

And why not? Smart move......

The intellivision console for the baseball game was the greatest game EVER! I still have it in storage.....

When I was in college at Texas we used to have tournaments with the baseball team in my dorm room (I was basketball) and it was the best EVER!!! Early 80's.....