It’s a great machine rick and don’t take my rant as anything to do with you, it’s not. You haven’t even mentioned price. Hell for all I know you agree with what I am saying.

Wh20 has jumped massively in the last year. It is amazing how this has happened, but it's not just a pinside thing, it's everywhere else as well. Routed ones are selling between $2,200 up to $3k.

My belief on this is semi-restored/well shopped if you will ones with new ramps have pushed the price. The ramps are so much, that people are using all of these examples as an inflated value for all original ones.

Having said that, I would say a HUO wh20, given the demand for these as well, is worth $4,500-$5k if it is true HUO.

If this was put up anywhere near $3k, it would be the fastest sale in history. Machines are going up. You can argue this all day long, but at the end, that's all there is to it. You either pay the goin rate, or enjoy your sour grapes

So this was more of a brag thread to show off your sweet WH20 and rub it in?

Yep, I'm jealous!

Congrats, that's one hell of a pickup! While I've managed to get some good deals, I've never snagged one in that type of condition.

That's one hell of a nice WH2O, Rick. Nicest original I've ever seen pics of. I've been dealing with pins for the last 20 years or so and I've never even seen anything close to a HUO WH2O ever show up.

It may not be HUO, but for those who've never seen a pin this age in HUO condition, take a look at the underside of the playfield. That's where you want to look, not on the topside. See how the wiring and all the metal parts still shine. Look at how nice the light board still is. A couple years ago I shopped out a HUO MM for a friend and it looked the same. It's really something to see.

People can say all they want about price, but what I'm seeing is routed WH2O's going for $2500 and up. Hell, I just paid $3000 for one only because you can't find them around MN for sale.

I'd say this one is easily worth $5000 or more. Clean it up and put it up for sale and I'll bet you a hundo it goes for that or more. If I didn't have one restored, I'd offer you that right now.

Congrats Rick....its a beauty!

Bryan in all the years I have been on RGP how many times have you seen me say anything about what I think a game is worth?
Out here 35 will get you a blown out POS if the 50 dollar more guy doesn't beat you out of it.
If I wasn't restoring one I would be all over this game for 5K in a Minnesota minute.
To shop that game you wouldn't need more than 50 bucks in parts and it would look like you scratched the head pulling it out of the box.
While the lowballers are talking about how little that game is worth I would be counting the 50 100s out on the glass for this one and they would be left sucking hind tit.
Stunning example and you just don't find them in this condition.

I think you're exactly right. No pin has gained quite as much as WhiteWater because of the repro parts situation.

You used to be able to get them pretty cheap (like $1400-$1800) and the ramps and boulders were always broken, and often the toppers were missing, and they were beat up. Suddenly, 90% of this stuff became reproed, and people were buying them. When it came time to sell them, if you had bought a $1800 machine and put $800 worth of ramps and boulders into it, you were trying to get $2600 for it.

Since most games restored versus unrestored weren't as large as a difference in pricing, lower games started to be priced at higher and higher prices - the restored one might bring in $2600, so an unrestored one brought in $2200 now...

But then those $2200 ones got $800 worth of ramps and boulders and stuff, and hit the market for $3000 when they went to sell...

It's an interesting cycle that I have seen continually driving the prices of these machines in particular higher. It seems like the top end is finally becoming established at about $3500-$4000 for a nice restored example. A really low mileage example like the one in the pictures would probably bring significantly more than that. Yeah, it was routed, but condition is king and a routed game that had almost no use especially like this one is going to bring in more money than a HUO one with playfield wear.

Sine the OP doesn't plan on selling it, I say it's worth what you paid for it - and enjoy! Who knows if the prices on these will really remain steady, or if they will keep on the weird repro cyle they are on now? Maybe by the time you're selling, it will be a $15k machine!

Personally, I don't think provenance is nearly as important as condition. This machine has clearly got light use and is in great original condition, so whether it was operated in a person's home or in a church basement shouldn't be relevant. Not all home users treat their machines well, and not all route operators abuse theirs. "HUO" is impossible to prove in most cases anyway, but condition is something any experienced pinball player can see and verify.

It seems lately people are willing to pay More to get a game right away than waiting and saving a few hundred. I Wouldn't be surprised if you put it at 5k and got close to that but may take a week or two instead of selling instantly at the 3-3.5k range. 3.5-4 seems to be the market in my area for that condition but prices change based on location.

I'm pretty new to the hobby but from what I've heard from people in my area is that no one wanted it a few years ago and now everyone seems to want one. People are realizing how good the game is and that has driven up the price. Wh20 is a top 10 w/b IMO. Not to mention all w/b pins seem to be going up.

I'm not understanding the G F. HUO Whitewater at 4.5K I don't think I'm far off at all.

6K for a fully restored one with new PF Ramps and everything else - I don't think I'm far off on this as a routed one is 2.5K and you need to add about 3K in parts, decals, topper, ramps etc.., Then you should replace all the switches go over the boards and rebuild them. I may be off as I can see a pristine White water with clear coat and high end restore for $7K.

It's funny listening to everyone here nickel and dime the crap out of this extremely rare, low play Whitewater.
People are paying 3.5k for routed crap these days.

This game would probably sell for 5-6k in a couple days, it's a very hot title recently, with lots of vulnerable parts that usually have to be replaced. look at the underside of this game, it looks practically brand new..

This is truly an incredibly example of a low-play Wh20. I mean for sh*t sake, it looks like it just came out of the box!

You can count me as one of the super jealous. What a great find, congrats! I personally wouldn't sell it, it's a really fun game.

What is funny is they are still arguing about what it is worth when there are already buyers who are in at 5K.
I would love to see this one on Ebay, a 5K bid wouldn't get you this game.
If it sold for 78 every yobo with a broken down beater would want 7 for theirs.
Maybe 68 if it just needed a fuse.

Welcome to pinball folks.

A 20 year old game found in this condition is Priceless.

I'm still wondering what the point of this thread was if its not going up for sale?

It's a brag thread, he's proud of the awesome game he found. And I'm glad I got to see pictures of it.
Thanks Rick for sharing your treasure with us.

Is there any Lost Mine kickout wear?

Appears to be a touch of kickout wear, but it's in the blue area, which is good.

Just spotted it: picture 5125.

5K? You guys are nuts. I sold mine for 2K, have seen 2 sell for under 2K in the past month. And everyone complains about pin prices soaring, yet some here are the ones encouraging it. Mind=blown.

Gonzo,

I agree with you that it's frustrating. However, just because some have sold reasonably, doesnt mean there isn't someone out there with wads of cash and no patience. It's a shame, but people are shelling out crazy money for this stuff. I tried slamming prices, tried to talk sense into people, it doesn't work. It's sad but yes, he could probably get bucu bucks if he's willing to deal with some BS.

The under-playfield photo changes what I was thinking about this game. That's a nice clean belly. I'd add 500-1k just for that. Church use never makes me think any differently than I do with routed machines though. I've seen more damage and neglect in churches than I have in community rec rooms and bars. The thing I do like about church use over bars and arcades is the lack of cigarette damage. Much easier to clean up without that. This is a nice game though that you have. Perhaps it would be better still if it was Nun-use only.

That's a really nice looking machine Rick471! Great pickup!

Wow......looks like that was a smoke free church

I'd gladly trade my mint LOTR for this machine.

Yes, and I'm sure they were in the exact same condition of this machine, too. I changed my mind, I'll offer this guy 2k, and not a penny more.

Are there churches you can smoke in?

Congrats on the sale...sure is a pretty WH2O!