Pinball Demand 60s, 70s & 80s Pinballs

[Retropin]

Title dictates price... these aint $400 projects...but in saying that if thats the asking price, i wont argue

[illawarra_steelers]

It all depends on the title....I will be open here...I payed $800 for a Gottlieb Happy Clown 1964 and a Gottlieb World Fair + shipping to Sydney.

Both games need a huge amount of work - do I care - nope - the games are in my gamesroom and would not have had the chance to pick up either title without Mark taking the risk of importing them. As mentioned bring some more in and I will drive down to Melbourne and pick up 3 or 4 titles from this era.

I believe that eBay is NOT the way to sell games of this vintage, as Gav just said there is a market there. It is mostly for the 'older guys' in the hobby. Now I'm 44, not 100% sure how old Gav is but I bet he around the same age give or take 5 years. We don't look to the web, it is word of mouth and emails etc.

[Strangeways]

Dave ( Siverball dave)

When we spoke, i said bring in those projects mate - believe me.. they WILL sell... especially considering the titles you have listed

It just depends how much they need to sell them for to make it worthwhile. Obviously $200 or $300 isn't going to be enough, but is $500 or $600 going to be? Or are people prepared to pay $800 - $1000 (or more) for a project pin?

There are so many permutations and combination in deriving a price for a project pinball..

I always look at the game and if the playfield and backglass are in good shape - then it has potential.
Does it have boards and displays
Is it missing "hard to find" parts - like an apron or a specific board like the "strobe" on a Flash Gordon ?
If the game is on my "wants list" then I'll most likely buy it regardless.
Are there repro plastics, playfields, backglasses available (GTB games have so many NOS parts in this area)

Personally - I like to look at whether the game in question will challenge me.. Hopefully, I will learn something from the restoration..At the end of the day - I have enjoyed the restoration, and the game is now in a gamesroom being enjoyed by the new owner, rather than sitting in storage for the next 20 years waiting for a natural disaster to put it out of its misery...

To answer the question - I have paid that amount of $1000 for a project pinball in the past, and if the game is suitable, I will pay it again.

[silverball]

I am interested to hear peoples thoughts on the demand vs import quantities for Pinball machines of various ages.  From where I sit I see container loads of Pinballs being bought into the country by Companies such as Child Amusements, Silverball, Mr Pinball, The Pinball Shed, Bumper Action etc.

However, the majority of these containers seem to be 1990s era pins.  There seems to be little coming in from the 'Golden Era' 60s, 70s and 80s!

Now I would have thought that the demographic typical pinball player is in his 30s to 50s and that there would be a lot of demand for these older pins?  Simple economics tells me Supply Vs Demand that there would be less older pins currently available?

Anyway please post your thoughts here as I am interested to read your opinions.  Maybe if there is enough intrest in this thread the Commercial Guys will give it some further thought?  Seems that on Ebay US these old pins go for a steal, so come on guys pick some up and bring em to Aus for fanatics like me.

I'm not a sponsor of this site, so admins feel free to delete any part or entire post as you wish.

We have over 60 project pins that we own and are in storage overseas. Greg makes a very good point about what people want versus what people want to pay. Titles include 2 x Devils Dare, 4 centaurs, 2 pink panthers, viking, 8 ball deluxe,black hole,medusa,xenon, and many more. We are still debating if it is worth bringing these machines in as a whole or in parts. When you add up the time, effort,cost of pin and cost to ship here, is really worth the hassle.
We have access to a stash of working classic pins, ballys, williams, gottliebs that are fully working and we are deciding if this should be the way to go.
Most people want  project pins, in working condition,with no missing parts and dont wont to pay more than a couple hundred dollars.

Oh David,

PLEASE tell me you have access to some 50s and 60s projects!

As mentioned in previous posts pins from this era don't really exists anymore as they have been snapped up. The only guy bringing them in from the US is Michael Shalhoub who has the contacts there. He doesn't come cheap - that doesn't reall bother me when I can drive to his place in 30 minutes and load my dual cab up with 3 or 4 games from this era.

Also the guys after these games are the older and seem to be cashed up - one of the joys of being a bit older - so John if you have access to these old girls bring 'em in - I will help you sell them. I just helped Mike sell about 20 games from this vintage.

Oh man I really need a classic pinball fix

Europe is the final frontier - have always wondered why somebody hasn't hit Italy as it had the highest pin shipment during the 60s outside the USA?

Italy's pins are mostly trashed, they were never looked after the same way as they were in other parts of Europe. We have viewed several lots and were very disappointed.

[Retropin]

It all depends on the title....I will be open here...I payed $800 for a Gottlieb Happy Clown 1964 and a Gottlieb World Fair + shipping to Sydney.

Both games need a huge amount of work - do I care - nope - the games are in my gamesroom and would not have had the chance to pick up either title without Mark taking the risk of importing them. As mentioned bring some more in and I will drive down to Melbourne and pick up 3 or 4 titles from this era.

I believe that eBay is NOT the way to sell games of this vintage, as Gav just said there is a market there. It is mostly for the 'older guys' in the hobby. Now I'm 44, not 100% sure how old Gav is but I bet he around the same age give or take 5 years. We don't look to the web, it is word of mouth and emails etc.

\


Mate - $800 for both??......Droooooooooool

bang on too - im 42

[illawarra_steelers]

No mate - $800 EACH!

[Greg]

Awesome write up Greg, great view/opinion..

Interesting choice of titles BTW !  

ha ha..... mate its all you and Nino talk about
that and after seeing them all at Expo and yours and Nino's collections...... I'm starting to take notice of alot of the older games

[Retropin]

No mate - $800 EACH!

Is OK - id say dead on the money - my 65 Bank a ball was $1000.

oooops!!! Ive let it out the bag

[illawarra_steelers]

No mate - $800 EACH!

Is OK - id say dead on the money - my 65 Bank a ball was $1000.

oooops!!! Ive let it out the bag

I knew that already! 

Got offered that game before you 

[Strangeways]

Awesome write up Greg, great view/opinion..

Interesting choice of titles BTW !  

ha ha..... mate its all you and Nino talk about
that and after seeing them all at Expo and yours and Nino's collections...... I'm starting to take notice of alot of the older games

That's it - Blame us, we are the bad influence !!

The older games are from a period I grew up in - and DMDs never really appeal to me that much. I am pleased that you have a newfound appreciation for older games. Your "Jet Star" has moved up a couple of places in the queue my friend !

[Retropin]

No mate - $800 EACH!

Is OK - id say dead on the money - my 65 Bank a ball was $1000.

oooops!!! Ive let it out the bag

I knew that already! 

Got offered that game before you 

Yeh - you and everyone else!!!!

[Greg]

I'm not a sponsor of this site, so admins feel free to delete any part or entire post as you wish.

We have over 60 project pins that we own and are in storage overseas. Greg makes a very good point about what people want versus what people want to pay. Titles include 2 x Devils Dare, 4 centaurs, 2 pink panthers, viking, 8 ball deluxe,black hole,medusa,xenon, and many more. We are still debating if it is worth bringing these machines in as a whole or in parts. When you add up the time, effort,cost of pin and cost to ship here, is really worth the hassle.
We have access to a stash of working classic pins, ballys, williams, gottliebs that are fully working and we are deciding if this should be the way to go.
Most people want  project pins, in working condition,with no missing parts and dont wont to pay more than a couple hundred dollars.

just chewing the fat Dave
but if you cant give a opinion   then maybe l shouldn't give a opinion..... but you know me Dave
i'm gunna give it anyway

look don't get me wrong I would love to see MORE older games coming in to Aus
I would just hate to see a importer/dealer  do his $$ on a container because that just means
they won't try it again

but I do believe that if older pins are going to grow and make a come back
then it will be driven more by the hobbyist's on forums like this making collectors aware of what goes into getting these oldies going and working correctly  as only these guys would be willing to  give the hours to get these games up and running as they should be, as l don't think dealers would have the time alloted to do justice to these games,  As Dean said if you have to spend money on displays and boards
then that blows the budget if your a dealer and probably for the hobbyist as well.

I've seen first hand what Nino does to fully rebuild a game (that Sinbad is a work of art topside and underneath)

so for the hobbyists.....  
 

[Strangeways]

I'm not a sponsor of this site, so admins feel free to delete any part or entire post as you wish.

We have over 60 project pins that we own and are in storage overseas. Greg makes a very good point about what people want versus what people want to pay. Titles include 2 x Devils Dare, 4 centaurs, 2 pink panthers, viking, 8 ball deluxe,black hole,medusa,xenon, and many more. We are still debating if it is worth bringing these machines in as a whole or in parts. When you add up the time, effort,cost of pin and cost to ship here, is really worth the hassle.
We have access to a stash of working classic pins, ballys, williams, gottliebs that are fully working and we are deciding if this should be the way to go.
Most people want  project pins, in working condition,with no missing parts and dont wont to pay more than a couple hundred dollars.

just chewing the fat Dave
but if you cant give a opinion   then maybe l shouldn't give a opinion..... but you know me Dave
i'm gunna give it anyway

look don't get me wrong I would love to see MORE older games coming in to Aus
I would just hate to see a importer/dealer  do his $$ on a container because that just means
they won't try it again

but I do believe that if older pins are going to grow and make a come back
then it will be driven more by the hobbyist's on forums like this making collectors aware of what goes into getting these oldies going and working correctly  as only these guys would be willing to  give the hours to get these games up and running as they should be, as l don't think dealers would have the time alloted to do justice to these games,  As Dean said if you have to spend money on displays and boards
then that blows the budget if your a dealer and probably for the hobbyist as well.

I've seen first hand what Nino does to fully rebuild a game (that Sinbad is a work of art topside and underneath)

so for the hobbyists.....  
 

Thanks for the kind words, Greg..

I think that  the only way a container of project pins will ever make it to Australia and be reconditioned or repaired, will be if hobbyists are involved. From a commercial perspective, it just does not make sense.

Having said that, I think it was very "ballsy" for Child's to bring in the projects and I tip my hat to anyone that does it in the future. If I had the "little black book of project pinball hoarders overseas", I'd do it !

 

[The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan]

I agree Project pin prices depend on title and condition.

A project Gottlieb Dragon (SFA) a project Pink Panther, Black Hole, HH ($1000 up depending on condition), seeing either restored to near mint condition PRICELESS 

I would buy either as I get satisfaction from knowing that I save any pin from possible scrap piles.

[Extra Ball]

I would luv to see 70's and 80's machines imported. For example can an importer offer a project Meteor for 500, are you making enough to make it worthwhile?