My husband and I bought TFTC as our first machine in 2008 and it got delivered to our house on the day we got married It will never leave our collection... I freaking love that machine!

Guilty lol 1985 Sorcerer and the g/f owned it when we started dating 13 eons ago lmao It was funny she invited me by and I was impressed then I turned the machine on and it's been downhill ever since..
jk machine had a flipper link broken and a few other issues, to this day we love to play this thing still have a couple things to fix one display bad and some typical wear on pf for this era machine working on buying a second for it's pf

A few months ago I was busy working and g/f calls honey one of my customers has a playboy machine we can have it if you go get it! I said sure ask her if tomorrow is ok as it was local to Rich Va. They told her it was broken and needed a technician to replace a board bad and didn't want to put any money in it. So's anywho I roll up with a bud and walk in and wth its a Bally Strikes and Spares guess the broad on the translite confused her lol.. I said yea it's probly just a fuse HAHA Turns out the machine was in great shape took it too my sis's house in Md. and put it in her basement and had it working later that night just a couple bad connections....

I still have Trident, which was 1 of the 3 I bought.

Yeah, reading how some people get their 1st pins back has inspired me to try and get my Judge Dredd back. Sold it and regret it....

Still have the first machine that I got about 20 years ago. It was a Haunted House in really good condition. It did not cost me anything so it will probably never leave my possesion.

Gottlieb "Soccer" Bought it partially working. Scoring was a mess, gate didn't work and the back glass balls would get stuck. It taught me the love of the mechanics. Fixed it, hot tapped it, LEDs, still play it regularly. I would recommend picking one up if you want an EM cause they are pretty cheap and it is a great game.

Still have my Black Jack I got from a neighbor about ten years ago. I'm going to do a complete restore on it. mike

bought it sold it bought it back forever here now

The wife bought a mint DiamondPlate Diner in 1991 delivered for 1000.Can't say I really miss it as I bought WW,FH and BK2K soon after.

I'm lucky enough to have LOTR as my first pin! No way that's every leaving the basement...

NIB SM....still have it and not planning on selling it

Gottlieb's OUT OF SIGHT. Had all the score cards, and schematics. Came off Craigslist $300.00 was working but needed to be fully shopped. Rubber rings were brittle. Had been neglected for many years.

F14 still here, never leaving! Unless it's another F14....Yagov rules

Surf Champ for me

Flash. Hell yeah I'm keeping it, it cost freakin' $1400 in 2002. Acid damaged, water damaged, sharpie touch ups, wire bundles visible through the backglass...the whole nine yards! I still love her like the day I got her, AND she's a valuable lesson in why buying retail is just an idiot move all around

That was my second pin and still in the collection!

Met pro nib was my first. Never leaving the house

Two years ago this month I bought my first pin, Super-Flite. Still have it, still going strong.

Avatar. I bought it brand new on an Amazon Lightning deal 46 months ago and we have put 5200 plays on it. I cannot imagine selling it. Ever.

I still have my first dmd pin that I bought back in 1997, star trek next gen. Bought it from the original owner who had it in storage since new, so pretty much huo as far as I know.

Considering the house I grew up in was literally on track property, and I could hear Tom Carnegie from my backyard the whole month of May, nah,...I'm gonna be buried in my I500.

No Fear...went bye bye, I made $400 off it and it never needed a repair

I still have my first, a Cyclone. Not ashamed in the least.

IJ - had it since 2001 and I'll be buried in it

I bought two at the same time: LW3 and WCS94. I sold the WCS to my friend but still have LW3.

Fish Tales 2 years ago and was going to restore it to as good as new and keep it forever.....then I sold my snooker table and the guy who bought it saw my pins (FT, JD & DM) and bought all three at the same time. I thought it would free me up to buy a NIB LOTRVE that's going to be announced any day now.....

Now just left dreaming of a NIB VE.....

Yup, same here. I opened my DW NIB in 1992...still got it.

I still own every pinball machine i have and have thought about selling some of them but i know Taxi (my first pinball) will never leave my collection.

My first pin was a POS Comet about 9 years ago. Comet is a fun game but this was one barely worked and had many parts from other games in it. I would definitely own the game again, just a better one.

Yes I still have my first but then.... I have only been in the hobby for 10 months

That is one heck of a nice collection after just ten months. Nice work sir!

First pin? CC Astronaut. I was fixing a guy's intercom in his house and it was sitting in the basement. He offered to sell it and I loaded it up. Hauled it up to my 2nd floor apartment by myself and had it running by morning. Still have it and it's not going anywhere. You gotta have at least one Em with actual bells in it. Awesome sound!

First. Riverboat Gambler.

I was an arcade kid with about 4-6 machines in my apartment. Went to an auction with my boss and said "what the heck". I'll buy a pin.......sold all the arcades shortly after that and never looked back.

Still have it. Diamond plate and in really nice condition. It will leave when I leave the hobby.

Chris

I bought my first pin, T2, before I had any idea what I liked (seems to be a popular choice). I don't like the gameplay very much, the only reason I still have it is that it has a minor switch problem I've been too busy with other projects to fix. I've been putting off selling it for like a year now I need to sell it to the next new guy who cares more about theme than gameplay.

Much easier to buy games I know will stick around when you know what you like.

Thanks Much ! I am totally addicted its an absolute obsession

Nope... I finally traded off my prized IJ last year. It was in great shape and cost a whopping 1500 over 15 years ago. Had only a couple minor issues with it and got thousands of games on it (and I never could beat my high score from 2001)

I think it would be worthwhile to see how long respondents have been collecting. The hobby, as we know, has grown substantially in recent years, and Pinside likewise. I'd be curious to see if the old-timers (15+ years, about the time when Pinball first died) still have their first.

Bingo, excellent timing...

Bought Road Show first. Still have it. But it's only been 4 months.

O yeah, CFTBL started the madness for me 10 + years ago... Never sell that one, but some others have come and gone.

Lol, no way. Mouse infested grand slam. Sold it on ebay for 76 dollars. Used that 76 dollars to buy a soda and 4 machines ( Zig Zag, Klondike, Star(some woodrail?) and a counterforce (Working). I havent held on to 90 percent of my games longer than 6 months.

Funhouse was my first. It was given to me for free by a local nonprofit that did not have the room/use for it. They also said that by giving it to me then maybe I would finally begin to pay attention during meetings rather than just staring at the Funhouse. I have been on the fence about selling it for some time now. But as most of you know, there is something about it being my first pin. It will be at the Texas Pinball Festival possibly for sale but definitely for Free Play. We will see which side of the fence I am on that weekend.

SM$M was my first. My story is about it.. my avatar. Only way I see it leaving is if I find a much nicer one priced right. Even then, it would be hard.

SpeakEasy-4 gift from my wife in 1985 so 30 years ago (OMG!!!)

Still here, she told me a few times to let it go and get a other for the spot, can't do it ... for sentimental reasons

Dirty Harry! ...first to come in and last to go!

Bally Op-Pop-Pop. Parents bought it in the mid 70's and gave it to me for Christmas about 18-20 years ago so been in the family about 40 years.

first pinball was No Fear, still have it and no plans to get rid of anytime soon.