For the sale of a pinball machine, a wire transfer is the best way to receive payment. Period.

But this thread is silly, not because the OP almost fell for the easiest scam in the book (sorry OP ), but because it doesn't consider the buying end. On Pinside especially, so many are quick to say they only want a wire or cash when selling but when they go to buy it's always "wellll I want to use my credit card/Paypal for protection" when cash on pickup isn't an option.

Cashier's check or wire transfer. Paypal to hold a deposit of a couple hundred.

Cash works if it's a smaller amount (<$10k), otherwise you draw flags trying to pull that much cash out of a bank unless you already have it, and it is risky for obvious reasons. I once bought a car for $35k cash from a private seller because the seller requested it (later found out why, tax reasons) and while we were there counting the money I couldn't help but think how easy it would be for them to rob me, even though everything checked out.