Hankin - The Australian Pinball

[Marty Machine]

It will keep going up in value. Everything Collectable always goes up in value.

Such a generalistic comment couldn't be further from reality.....

Collectable markets are full of hi's & lo's, collectors sell out, new collectors come along, markets get flooded, markets dry up, it's keeps oscillating, but it never constantly increases......NOTHING DOES !

I highly doubt pinballs will reach $100k or $1million in 50-100 years based on your comment   ;-)

MM

[GORGAR 1]

Hankin had one of its main factories at Darby street in Newcastle, just near were I live. Back in 1975 I had just left school and was looking for an apprenticeship. Being a pinball freak I pested the management many times for a apprentice with there company as a pinball repair tech. They showed me around the complex and what a sight to see all new Gottlieb, Williams, Hankins , pinballs every where! I watched as brand new pins were being mylared before being put on site. After all my pestering they send me a letter to say " Sorry sir we are not looking to put on a apprentice at this stage ".
One block away from Hankin was AWA/Mitsubishi. In 1975 colour TV had just been introduced to OZ so I then started pestering them for a apprenticeship. I got a good news letter a month latter to say you have the job as a TV-Audio technician with there company. So everyday on my way home after work I would pass Hankin and always think how good would it had been to work on something I was totally addicted to.

Great story/looking back did it end up being the right career choice?

Peter

[Pinfan]

I've played 3 out of the 5 Hankin's and found all three to have very shallow/boring gameplay...

One thing i really like is the artwork on Shark and ESB.... There's a lot going on in these two playfields..... artwork wise....

On another note i am looking for all of Hankin's flyers so if anyone out there has any i am interested....

[bossgp]

I worked for Hankin's in Brisbane for around 2 years as a tech back in the 80's, I was always fixing these machines in their leisure centres, one in the Valley and the other one upstairs at the top end of Queen Street, when the centres closed they put me in the workshop at Bowen Hills.
I hated the Hankin pinball machines with a passion, always breaking down, driver board faults, cpu board faults,random coil lock on's and burnt coils and stuff, one day when I was off work sick an apprentice went out to do a service call and did not have a fuse to fix  "Howaz" so he put an allen key in it's place, bugger me it burnt the power supply and the driver pcb like hot chips in a fry pan. Management sucked there and no room for advancement so I left Hankins and started my own business, my comment is I found all their games to be sleepy and boring, but I guess that was Australia's answer to pinball.
I think with the advancement of ic's and printed circuit boards these days Australia could make a much better pinball machine if there was indeed a market for them, I have built my own video pinball machine "Silverball Secrets" based on vp .

[Homepin]

I worked for Hankin's in Brisbane for around 2 years as a tech back in the 80's, I was always fixing these machines in their leisure centres, one in the Valley and the other one upstairs at the top end of Queen Street, when the centres closed they put me in the workshop at Bowen Hills.
I hated the Hankin pinball machines with a passion, always breaking down, driver board faults, cpu board faults,random coil lock on's and burnt coils and stuff, one day when I was off work sick an apprentice went out to do a service call and did not have a fuse to fix  "Howaz" so he put an allen key in it's place, bugger me it burnt the power supply and the driver pcb like hot chips in a fry pan. Management sucked there and no room for advancement so I left Hankins and started my own business, my comment is I found all their games to be sleepy and boring, but I guess that was Australia's answer to pinball.
I think with the advancement of ic's and printed circuit boards these days Australia could make a much better pinball machine if there was indeed a market for them, I have built my own video pinball machine "Silverball Secrets" based on vp .

Hey Bossgp - we probably knew each other back in those days - I was a TV tech and Musictime employed me the minute electronic machines hit the market. I don't remember having "that" many issues with Hankin machines, I most likely called you for advice from time to time?

I know that I hated electronic Gottliebs with a passion! Stupid coil faults, idiodic choice of 'spider' chips (that was complete madness) - all manner of random resets that could never be tracked down and to top it off the games were mostly rubbish to play. I really doubt that Musictime ever made a dollar out of the Gottliebs - at least the Hankin machines had some appeal to local players.

[ajlaird]

Re ESB backglasses: my mate from uni actually helped print these!

Generally speaking the Hankins are not well regarded as good playing machines and this will cap the value somewhat.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one for other reasons, but if you are buying as a collectible then you need to know the above.

[The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan]

Re ESB backglasses: my mate from uni actually helped print these!

Generally speaking the Hankins are not well regarded as good playing machines and this will cap the value somewhat.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one for other reasons, but if you are buying as a collectible then you need to know the above.

The Backglass with Darth Vader and the lighting effect are the best parts of this machine.  I think with the Star Wars theme and backbox design, coupled with only 350 made (how many left 200??) will see this game increase in value.  FJ may increase also given the popularity of the car...the other hankin pins are not worth much in my opinion..

[MartyJ]

I think some games perhaps hold more sentimental value than actual gameplay.

I spent many holidays as a youngster sweeping the gamesroom floor at the caravan park and doing other odd jobs for the park manager to earn those 20c coins with the black crosses on them (must have been something between the op / manager) to play the Hankin FJ Holden.  I enjoyed the game play (at that time) and keep in mind for a game made circa 1979 it wasn't a terrible effort.  I would certainly like to own one - mostly for the memories but also as a very Australian piece of a hobby I enjoy.

[Homepin]

I think some games perhaps hold more sentimental value than actual gameplay.

I spent many holidays as a youngster sweeping the gamesroom floor at the caravan park and doing other odd jobs for the park manager to earn those 20c coins with the black crosses on them (must have been something between the op / manager) to play the Hankin FJ Holden.  I enjoyed the game play (at that time) and keep in mind for a game made circa 1979 it wasn't a terrible effort.  I would certainly like to own one - mostly for the memories but also as a very Australian piece of a hobby I enjoy.

Don't worry - when we did the collections (counted the cash tin) we 'overlooked' MANY of those crossed coins - hahahah

Some 'sites' believed that if they put a 'nikko pen' cross on the 20c piece it would be returned to them - I made sure they got about 25% of them - but I'm a prick!

[ddstoys]

I think some games perhaps hold more sentimental value than actual gameplay.

I spent many holidays as a youngster sweeping the gamesroom floor at the caravan park and doing other odd jobs for the park manager to earn those 20c coins with the black crosses on them (must have been something between the op / manager) to play the Hankin FJ Holden.  I enjoyed the game play (at that time) and keep in mind for a game made circa 1979 it wasn't a terrible effort.  I would certainly like to own one - mostly for the memories but also as a very Australian piece of a hobby I enjoy.

Don't worry - when we did the collections (counted the cash tin) we 'overlooked' MANY of those crossed coins - hahahah

Some 'sites' believed that if they put a 'nikko pen' cross on the 20c piece it would be returned to them - I made sure they got about 25% of them - but I'm a prick!

THATS FUNNY  That reminded me when i used to work at the local milk bar (Grade 3 maybe) the owner used to pay me $2 to fill the fridges and always gave me a few 20c coins with a cross on them for the games in the corner

[shansta]

Had a look at the bid history on that ESB - there were 3 people who all bid 3K plus... 

Bit of love out there for the old Aussie... (But it IS a nice backglass!)

[shansta]

One block away from Hankin was AWA/Mitsubishi. In 1975 colour TV had just been introduced to OZ so I then started pestering them for a apprenticeship. I got a good news letter a month latter to say you have the job as a TV-Audio technician with there company. So everyday on my way home after work I would pass Hankin and always think how good would it had been to work on something I was totally addicted to.

And here you are 30 odd years later on a pinball forum...

I think it was a huge shame you didn't get the job! Imagine...

Is that a Hankin in your avatar? 

[SPURR]

Hankin had one of its main factories at Darby street in Newcastle, just near were I live. Back in 1975 I had just left school and was looking for an apprenticeship. Being a pinball freak I pested the management many times for a apprentice with there company as a pinball repair tech. They showed me around the complex and what a sight to see all new Gottlieb, Williams, Hankins , pinballs every where! I watched as brand new pins were being mylared before being put on site. After all my pestering they send me a letter to say " Sorry sir we are not looking to put on a apprentice at this stage ".
One block away from Hankin was AWA/Mitsubishi. In 1975 colour TV had just been introduced to OZ so I then started pestering them for a apprenticeship. I got a good news letter a month latter to say you have the job as a TV-Audio technician with there company. So everyday on my way home after work I would pass Hankin and always think how good would it had been to work on something I was totally addicted to.

Great story/looking back did it end up being the right career choice?

Peter

Yes Peter I think it was a good move. I ended up with a job at ABC television here in Newcastle where we looked after ABC TV,ABC FM, JJJ and SBS. I spose now I get the best of both worlds I get to repair audio, visual and pinballs.

[pinball-collector]

yeah,,the Hankin Pins,,, yes they are boring to play,, l agree,, l like them, because they are Aussie made, they are a hard machine to put a value on... But lm happy to say that l have the full collection. plus an extra ESB, shark, Howzat,,,love the art work, on them.  have a full list of my machines in the pinballs lists..

[Extra Ball]

Hankin had one of its main factories at Darby street in Newcastle, just near were I live. Back in 1975 I had just left school and was looking for an apprenticeship. Being a pinball freak I pested the management many times for a apprentice with there company as a pinball repair tech. They showed me around the complex and what a sight to see all new Gottlieb, Williams, Hankins , pinballs every where! I watched as brand new pins were being mylared before being put on site. After all my pestering they send me a letter to say " Sorry sir we are not looking to put on a apprentice at this stage ".
One block away from Hankin was AWA/Mitsubishi. In 1975 colour TV had just been introduced to OZ so I then started pestering them for a apprenticeship. I got a good news letter a month latter to say you have the job as a TV-Audio technician with there company. So everyday on my way home after work I would pass Hankin and always think how good would it had been to work on something I was totally addicted to.

Great story/looking back did it end up being the right career choice?

Peter

Yes Peter I think it was a good move. I ended up with a job at ABC television here in Newcastle where we looked after ABC TV,ABC FM, JJJ and SBS. I spose now I get the best of both worlds I get to repair audio, visual and pinballs.

Spurr can repair pinballs, but he prefers to pull them apart and leave em bits, that or hang them up as wall art.