If you ever wanted to get an old pinball machine or video game affordably...

[RoryN]

...you probably just lost your chance, for good. A widely-publicized auction is happening at a museum, and machines are going for 2x - 10x what they were previously valued at by collectors.

 

[RoryN]

Working EM's start at $2500 and they are 30 years old.

Yup. (For the uninitiated, one could get certain EM pinball machines for $400 or sometimes less before this auction happened.)

Another example: hobbyists value a Back To The Future pinball at around $3,500. Last night, one sold at auction for $14,000...add the fees and you're up to over $16k.

Still going today, including some legendary early 90s machines that you know are gonna hit top dollar...

 

[Biggs_Darklighter]

I bought a donkey king Jr game from a laundromat for 400.
All about knowing where to look.

 

[Biggs_Darklighter]

Could have got a Galaga but had to make a choice and I'm better at dk jr.

 

[RoryN]

I bought a donkey king Jr game from a laundromat for 400.

Yeaaaah that's not happening again after this weekend - unless it's a unicorn.

 

[oggbashan]

There is one product that is still undervalued in the UK and prices have dropped because of eBay.

First editions of literary works. Where they used to be rare and difficult to find, eBay makes sellers compete.

I have several Dickens' first editions, Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes, H G Wells etc - all bought for low prices. Condition and publisher's original binding is important, but for twentieth-century classics, a geed one in dust wrapper can still be affordable.

Recently I bought two pristine paperback copies of a book only published in the US, originally in the 1880ss, and reprinted in the 1980s. The price of the hardback reprint is usually about 140 dollars; the paperback is 50 dollars. I bought both for less than five pounds each...

 

[silver gurl]

Could have got a Galaga but had to make a choice and I'm better at dk jr.

Oh Galaga is my favourite! I always take the longest at the arcade.

 

[RoryN]

Oh Galaga is my favourite! I always take the longest at the arcade.

I have three close female friends who are all great at Galaga.

I used to wonder why that was, and then I figured it out: vigorous use of the fire button.

 

[silver gurl]

I have three close female friends who are all great at Galaga.

I used to wonder why that was, and then I figured it out: vigorous use of the fire button.

Ha! Practice makes perfect.

 

[LukSkyFokker]

I have three close female friends who are all great at Galaga.

I used to wonder why that was, and then I figured it out: vigorous use of the fire button.

I lol'd.

And I fucking love Galaga. Remember Galaxian?

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/galaxian_4798.gif

 

[Biggs_Darklighter]

I lol'd.

And I fucking love Galaga. Remember Galaxian?

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/galaxian_4798.gif

Galaxian was the shit before Galaga came along and improved on it.
Hell I remember when Ms. Pac Man came out. That was a big deal.

 

[Earthlyone]

...you probably just lost your chance, for good. A widely-publicized auction is happening at a museum, and machines are going for 2x - 10x what they were previously valued at by collectors.

The market fluctuates. The prices will lower when interest in them dips down a bit. I was into retro console games collecting for a while and it was the same with that.

 

[LukSkyFokker]

Galaxian was the shit before Galaga came along and improved on it.
Hell I remember when Ms. Pac Man came out. That was a big deal.

A few sequels were better than the OG. Ms. Pac-Man for sure because it was just literally the same game but improved.

My favorite game at home was Pitfall for Intellivision.

 

[RoryN]

The market fluctuates. The prices will lower when interest in them dips down a bit. I was into retro console games collecting for a while and it was the same with that.

1. Retro console game prices are skyrocketing right now - so much so that they're garnering press every month.

2. Apples / oranges. But thanks for trying.

Back to useful commentary: Addams Family Pinball Special Edition just went for $22,500.

 

[silver gurl]

A few sequels were better than the OG. Ms. Pac-Man for sure because it was just literally the same game but improved.

My favorite game at home was Pitfall for Intellivision.

Pitfall was awesome as well!

Gah, I remember Pong. As exciting as watching paint dry.