Heres a good one for you, I started collecting 3 years ago, not because I ever played machines on site when I was younger, and had memories like alot of the forum members, but because someone said why dont u buy a pinball machine for your kids to play ! I never looked back.
So u dont have to be a kid who played a pin onsite to collect, or even have good knowledge of the pinball industry to start collecting.
All it took me at 38 yrs of age (3 yrs ago) was to see one nice pinball machine at someones place and I was hooked. 3 yrs later, and 40 machines, just because i saw one pinball machine late in my 30's at someones place one afternoon.
The lesson here is, show someone, anyone your pinballs, and u never know what they might do next !
I think prices will stay the same for a long time and machines will still be worth great money.