Factoring inflation gas is actually cheaper now than the last time it was 32 cents a gallon. As for pins, I'm glad I started collecting when I did, but sure wish I started 10 years sooner.

Smoking too much of what he is growing with that price!!

See, I don't buy pinballs trying to "make a profit" because a pinball machine is an inherently deteriorating consumable device. It, like most other devices, requires continual reversal of entropy (input of energy in some form) or it will wind up as dust. Not only that they were explicitly designed to be consumed within a few years originally, hopefully after they earned out. And that they used to do, before the recent distortions showed up in the market making such effectively impossible on a mathematical basis.

This also means I am not selling my pins, because I didn't buy them for the purpose of flipping them to someone else at a helium-inflated price. Since I didn't pay such an inflated price for anything I own I'm unconcerned with how insane folks get; it just garners chuckles, since I bought them to play them.

Actually, you folks ought to hope it's helium in that bubble. I suspect that bubble is actually full of hydrogen, which could get quite interesting.... especially considering the earn-out problem today. That, more than anything else, is why I'm convinced the bubble will not only burst but explode in anyone's face who has been chasing it for the last few years.

You should run for president.

Remember beer can collecting....

I don't think it's hydrogen or helium, I think it's a lot of hot air. Some guys make a go of buying and reselling pins at various markups after various degrees of refurbishment, whoopee. Most of us here just have the games we have and it so happens that pinball has enjoyed a renewed interest to a certain extent, driving prices up. This mythical game hoarder hoping to cash in at some point only exists in your imagination.

Bye, I have to go fix my beer can that is going to be used at a beer can tournament next month at a beer can show, with beer can parts vendors and beer can designer seminars. I hope I still have time to practice my beer can playing as well!