I hear what u are saying. Prices have risen and fallen over the past 5 years many times, and it will continue to do so....
Yes, prices are very low now, and there are a number of reasons for it, incl demand for new Stern machines, and for the first time in a long time, alot of collectors I know are selling one or two older dmd machines to fund a new machine. Some of these sellers are selling at the same price they bought at 5 years ago, just to get out of the machine, some are selling at the new higher prices which machines rise to after 5 years.
Yes, a flooded market means prices are cheaper, yes a bad government also means people are holding their money as well, reducing demand, but ultimately, like the USA, sooner or later, more and more people will get into pinball from seeing their friends n family get a pinball, and the size of the market will also grow with more newbies owning machines versus experienced collectors just owning more machines. It may take a year or 3, but sooner or later demand will increase again, supply from Europe will eventually dry up (it cant last forever-machine build numbers were finite) and prices will rise. Pinball is just like Real Estate. Buy when low, sell when high....and know when to sit n be very patient.....or be prepared to lose money.
Its painful, I agreee. Welcome to the free enterprise market like Mike says.