No Interest in Older Pins ?

playpin35

New member

Donor 2011
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
1,519
Reaction score
8
Location
Jacksonville, Missouri
Is there any market for late 70s to late 80s pins anymore? Everyone seems to be switching over to dmd machines and doesn't seem to want these era pins anymore. Even if someone does, they only want to give $300 for a fully shopped machine. Will the market for these return after all the dmd machines dry up(and they will)?
 
I think its always been like this. People want more and so they eventually dump their older pins. There are people that want the 70-80's pins of course. I dont think the DMD market will dry up, especially since the new Stern are still DMD. Some of the best pins are Williams system 11 I feel.
 
Last edited:
It all depends on the title. Games like Haunted House, Black Knight, Firepower, Gorgar, Fathom, the heavy hitters of the era, those have a solid following.

But yeah, most of the current interest seems to be in the DMD era games.

I think a lot of that has to do with how many of those earlier games aren't in working condition, or those that are working are commonly found to be pretty badly beaten up.
The DMD games are, for the most part, in much better overall shape.

-Hans
 
There is definitely a market for this era of pins. Case in point look at Bally Fathom and look how much coin that demands. Toolguy hit it right on the head saying System 11 is a favorite with alot of pin players-especially me!:D
 
Realistically, the prices on most of that era's games (with some obvious exceptions) were grossly inflated 3-5 years ago. There is definitely still a market, but sellers need to recognize that not every game is a Fathom and for every $1000+ early solid state era game, there are twenty $300 games from that era.
 
I like older pins. I just wish I could get them running. I have no interest in dropping over a grand for an A-List title. Plus I think the older games have an aesthetic quality that is missing on the newer ones. That said, if I found a new pin cheap, or if I was given one, I wouldn't kick her out of bed.
 
It's all about title and condition. High Speed and Cyclone are both non-DMD and command around a grand in working and nice condition. Games like Flash seem to go for ~$500 working and in nice shape. EM pins I see close to the $300 area for common titles, as well as some early Bally and Williams SS projects. Funhouse seems to go for around a grand even in light project condition. Of course, exceptions are always out there but my experience has been if there is a deal the shipping kills it in a hurry, for me at least.

Personally, I love projects and I wouldn't mind finding a Taxi or a Bad Cats, but unless they start falling from the sky I'll probably just enjoy my current lineup for now and save up for a Family Guy - which would be my first DMD.

So what exactly are you trying to sell and getting low-ball offers on?
 
I hate/loathe/despise EM pins. They seriously bore me to tears. My next door neighbor offered me a free EM pin in really nice shape and I turned it down.
I like several SS's from the mid 80's to the early 90's before the DMD came to fruition. However I do love a lot of the DMD games as well.

You seriously think DMD machines will dry up? Have you any idea of how many DMD pins were made? A shit ton in metric measurement ;)
 
Last edited:
Funhouse seems to go for around a grand even in light project condition.

Good luck trying to find a Funhouse for 1K, I have never seen one for
that price.
 
While I'm more of a video game person, I've owned a few pins over the years like Space Invaders and Flash, which are older games, and currently have a Cyclone and a STTNG.

Personally, if/when I get more pins they will be DMD games, not the older ones. EM is out of the question, except for maybe a Chicago Coin World Series which is arguably not a real pin.
 
I have had several newer pins over the years. I love the SS machines from the early 80s. Some of the gameplay is not that good but the artwork is over the top. The 80s pins don't have all the gadgets of the 90s stuff but the traditional feel of the playfield is fantastic. I passed on several DMD machines a while back because I couldn't make room for them. My gameroom usually has a line for silverball mania, seawitch and black pyramid. Those pins may not have cult following but the gameplay for a non-pin maniac is great. Don't get me wrong A LOT of the late 80s machines suck! The manufactures were on autopilot and sending out machines just for the sake of production. People in my area seems to think any pin is worth 1000$. I passed recently on a wedge that had a dead mouse and nest on the playfield, MOLD, and when it stopped working the "Home Tech" took wire cutters to the head in hopes of making it run again. Demanded minimum $800 because he saw one on ebay go for that. Got in truck and left.
 
You seriously think DMD machines will dry up? Have you any idea of how many DMD pins were made?

No not tomorrow, but there will be fewer and fewer available as more people buy them. You also have people shipping overseas and retailers buying them up. The average guy will find it difficult to buy in the future due to shortage or insane prices.
 
I heart late 70 ealry 80's ss pins.
I do however wish to have one decent WORKING em as well though, and I have 2 dmd's
Hook =smaller dmd looks crazy as hell but more of a ball slapper, nut much deep of a rule set.

Lethal weapon 3 regular size dmd = one of the cheapest dmd's you can find, not everyone loves it on here, but everyone who comes by my house loves it!
 
No not tomorrow, but there will be fewer and fewer available as more people buy them. You also have people shipping overseas and retailers buying them up. The average guy will find it difficult to buy in the future due to shortage or insane prices.

My personal opinion right or wrong:
I would say there were easily hundreds of thousands of pins made. How many of them are left ... geez no clue and no way to really know.
Many pins are being re-imported to the states - again how many who knows?! Many of those are rusty nasty messes due to salt water air .. how many will hit the garbage or be parted out ... don;t know.
As far as things drying up ... again who knows as only time will truly tell the tale however, you have to realize there's not much new blood being generated in pinball. The guys that have been in it for a long time have already acquired their "grails". As these fine gentleman get older they will sell off their machines and there's you and I standing in line for them. You and I represent what is left of the "die hard pinhead" generation. Someday you and I will be selling off our beloved pins and there will be less people standing in the proverbial line that we once stood in. I wouldn't guess there will be much after that generation. The next problem is how long are these parts going to be made to keep these things running? I hate to say I don't know - but I don;t know that either ;)

Lot's of variables - but if you compare pins to vids (dare I) you can still find a Donkey Kong or a Pac man upright fairly easy and it's been ~30 years now. I personally don't see pins being any different. My .02
 
People in my area seems to think any pin is worth 1000$ ...
Same where I live. I constantly see fixer-uppers from the mid to late 80's listed for $1,200+. Either the sellers around here are really stubborn, or people are actually paying those prices. Sadly, I think it's the latter. There just aren't a lot of deals to be had around here these days, and if one does happen to show up on craigslist, the vultures are all over it.
 
Good luck trying to find a Funhouse for 1K, I have never seen one for
that price.
Not to derail the topic but it's in the neighborhood of what I paid for mine with the help of a couple of semi-local guys who do post on here. Other then a shop job the only items needing attention were the ramps - Rudy was 100% and there wasn't a single cracked plastic - the playfield had some damage at the drops but was otherwise very nice. So while not the average 'advertised' price, they can be had for around that if you're patient and really looking - it was one of my grails and it still took me 3 years before I found one that I liked enough to buy.

Back on topic, many of the pins I currently own I played heavily in my youth, before DMD displays were standard - and I've passed on a couple of DMD titles just to have the room for some non-DMD games I wanted more. And like any era, there are great games and there are crap games to be had - but like anything else, someones 'turd' is someone elses 'grail'. Hell, even at Expo this year it I played a Flash Gordon for the first time and really enjoyed it - if one showed up in my area I might just buy as long as it's not priced 'pawn-stars-batshit-crazy'
 
Back
Top Bottom