I do agree you Gavin but if most people say no to a auction and you quoted: This money HAS to be recouped and the only realistic way of doing this within the context of pinball, is to have an auction of pins.
No other pins are allowed to be sold because it means that those auctioned may not be sold off and Expo outlays may not be recovered. STOP.
How will any money be made at a auction if a small crew turn up and every pini bids under a reserve price.
Another way of making money for the event like this could be what all the shopping centre's do. I was in one for 10 years and that was that each company selling pins would pay the organiser a % of all pins that are sold, it was called OUT GOINGS all shop owners paid it. And yes I know it wont be cheap to run a event like this but if you are expecting the auction will cover most costs beware!
And Gavin the main reason Im going is to see your stall and other stalls and most of all to see all the other pin freaks like myself. But eg IF markc or Tony from The Pinball Shed (who said he wanted to bring a truck load of cheap do up pins to the event) were allowed to sell pins and one of them twisted my arm or someone's we may have left the expo with a new toy.
