my opinion on MINT pinballs

[pinball god]

You hear this term on ebay all the time. What is mint? IMO mint means taking a machine out of the box and looking at it. Shine it here, shine it there, but don't think of plunging that ball onto the playfield. So a MINT pinball to me is a pinball that's not played enough!. So forget about making your machine 'mint' and get to work doing what it was designed for and play the hell out of it.

What's your thoughts?

[Strangeways]

I've never really seen a "mint" pinball. I'd say a "mint" pinball is a machine straight out of the box. So I associate "mint" with "New In Box".

"Mint" is a term thrown around too loosely. Although I've seen some EMs that have had 100's of hours spent on them - and they were close to "mint"

I use a tern "Nearly In Box" for top shelf restorations - whether it be hobbyist or professional. The only person I can think of that can claim a routed pin is restored to "mint" is Christopher Hutchins.

[braddo]

Haha sounds good to me. The only pin i have right now is Gorgar, and to tell you the truth, I want to just play it, and LOOK at it for what 'it is', cause it plays real good to me. It's in real nice condition, and, i got a bit paranoid about trying to clean it (change it's condition and 'smell'). It has real character and charm. Would like to know what it has been through. Thinking about just leaving it TOTALLY original, give it a clean now and again. I don't like to screw with old art, just look after it.

[Extra Ball]

Hmm I have been thinking about something similar. In the pin community I find myself somewhat seperate to the guys that restore their machines to a "mint" condition. Or guys that I know who refuse to buy a pin with any playfield wear etc.

For me they just have to play really well, and look ok. But we all enjoy different aspects, and some enjoy restos more than playing them. Me, I just enjoy playing them, and keeping the buggers going. Also just owning them, and in any condition, for me thats really cool as well.

[Caveoftreasures]

I dont believe MINT is NEW at all. NEW IS NEW.

Mint is realistically identical to the condition that the item was when it was first made. Like a Coin. It can be ten years old, its not new anymore, but it is LIKE NEW and still MINT. tHATS WHY THEY CALL THINGS mint, BECAUSE IT STILL LOOKS LIKE IT DID THE DAY IT WAS PRODUCED.

I have seen a MONSTER BASH in ADELAIDE recently that was so impressive, that you could not tell, in any way, shape or form, whether this machine had ever been played ever.If the box was standing next to it, or you pulled it out of a factory box, any expert in the industry would believe it was NEW, LIKE NEW OR MINT. Only when the owner mentioned it was a home use only pin, and the fact that it only had a few hundred games on it, and it had been kept beautiful and clean (inside n out) was i then able to find out it was used, BUT IT WAS MINT.

Did my version/answer help or confuse ? beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. but MINT does not mean never used.

[ajlaird]

If we are using the coin analogy then mint means uncirculated ie unused.

I prefer a term such as "minty" to talk about a pin that has been restored to as-new or near-new condition or "near-mint" for one that has been played very little.

[Caveoftreasures]

yeh, your right.

I just thought of something really stupid, when the guy at the coin factory picks it up and packages it, its sort of used.
When the mint sells it to the coin dealer and the coin dealer sells it to the collector, its already changed hands 3 x times but not been spent in the real sense of being put into a pocket or on a dressing table.

I WONDER HOW MANY PINBALL MACHINES, BRAND NEW IN BOX, EVER STAYED UN-OPENED, AND WERE SOLD A FEW TIMES ETC ETC FROM SELLER TO SELLER, LIKE A COLLECTABLE. THAT WOULD BE SO COOL TO HAVE ONE OR TEN.

Could you imagine the Pinball Industry today if there were alot of brand new, never used machines , still bouncing around in factory boxes.
I saw a post on an American site where a guy had both a Addams Family Gold and a Twilight Zone, never opened, and ten years later he still had them , unopened.
He reckons he sold both at Sotherbys Auctions In New York i think from memory for something like $250 grand, each. WOW.

ANY ONE GOT ANY NEW IN BOX MACHINES FROM THE 90'S. LOL. I will take a Monster bash , and the list goes on. LOL. 

[Strangeways]

yeh, your right.

I just thought of something really stupid, when the guy at the coin factory picks it up and packages it, its sort of used.
When the mint sells it to the coin dealer and the coin dealer sells it to the collector, its already changed hands 3 x times but not been spent in the real sense of being put into a pocket or on a dressing table.

I WONDER HOW MANY PINBALL MACHINES, BRAND NEW IN BOX, EVER STAYED UN-OPENED, AND WERE SOLD A FEW TIMES ETC ETC FROM SELLER TO SELLER, LIKE A COLLECTABLE. THAT WOULD BE SO COOL TO HAVE ONE OR TEN.

Could you imagine the Pinball Industry today if there were alot of brand new, never used machines , still bouncing around in factory boxes.
I saw a post on an American site where a guy had both a Addams Family Gold and a Twilight Zone, never opened, and ten years later he still had them , unopened.
He reckons he sold both at Sotherbys Auctions In New York i think from memory for something like $250 grand, each. WOW.

ANY ONE GOT ANY NEW IN BOX MACHINES FROM THE 90'S. LOL. I will take a Monster bash , and the list goes on. LOL. 

Around two years ago - a NIB "Black Knight" was sold by a dealer to a collector - the story is online somewhere. The same dealer has several unopened pins - some obscure EMs as well.
 

[illawarra_steelers]

This dude: http://www.flippers.com/pin4sale.html

[pistolpete78]

Same guy that was selling the movie posters I think?  I don't know what those are worth, but I think there was an old school Dracula one for something like $1m  That's big bikkies for a piece of paper

But on topic, I think if you're going to make a claim like "mint" you open yourself up to some real scrutiny.  If you are any any doubt whatsoever or may not be the best person to call something "mint", I think it's better to use other adjectives and let the buyer decide.  Best to be thought a fool.......

[illawarra_steelers]

Rollerballs old Roadshow must be the closest game I have ever seen to be a 'mint' game.....it still looked new

[Caveoftreasures]

i found a twilight zone, at a place, aussie delivered, looks amazing, as is , from the start of its life, barely ever used in the back of a takeaway shop 6 hours inland in queensland, no fade, it looks amazing.

i reckon i will get it for 4 grand. I am working on the owner.hope to do a deal by xmas. will post photos if i get it.you wouldnt believe it if u saw it.
my jaw dropped.been unplugged for many many years and covered up.they put it out back, did some shop renovations, and it didnt fit back thru the door, so they left it out there, under a sheet for the last 8 years. i am still working out how i will get it out of the place.looks like a gyprock wall may have to be attacked, at my expense.

[ROLLERBALL]

Yes my roadshow...now Jason's...was very nice....

Wotto has a few minty ones....

My HH has a minty taste as well for its age....

For me I would only use the word mint If I was selling it on Ebay just to pull in some extra watchers/suckers....

you can call any machine mint....and hey just because I think its mint doesnt mean that it is...lol...

If someone selling tells you that there game is mint then it just make buyers look at it...so I dont see why people cant use it to sell whatever they like...may as well try to get lookers...then they can make up there own mind if its minty enough for them...

anyway I prefer spearmint...yummy

[MrMaloo]

you can call any machine mint....and hey just because I think its mint doesnt mean that it is...lol...

If someone selling tells you that there game is mint then it just make buyers look at it...so I dont see why people cant use it to sell whatever they like...may as well try to get lookers...then they can make up there own mind if its minty enough for them...

Well said Paul . I think you hit the nail on the head in that a seller can describe his/her machine in whatever condition they like . In the end it's up to the buyer to make a decision on the condition they think it's in .

I sold a pin on ebay a while back back and although it was in "mintish" condition I actually chose to describe it as "immaculate" .

[Strangeways]

you can call any machine mint....and hey just because I think its mint doesnt mean that it is...lol...

If someone selling tells you that there game is mint then it just make buyers look at it...so I dont see why people cant use it to sell whatever they like...may as well try to get lookers...then they can make up there own mind if its minty enough for them...

Well said Paul . I think you hit the nail on the head in that a seller can describe his/her machine in whatever condition they like . In the end it's up to the buyer to make a decision on the condition they think it's in .

I sold a pin on ebay a while back back and although it was in "mintish" condition I actually chose to describe it as "immaculate" .

"immaculate" is the closest word to describe a 10/10 pinball.