Pinball Machines at a local Pawn Shop

john2654

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There is at least 3 pinball machines at the local pawn shop. There are a couple older ones for $900 and the one I was interested in was Earthshaker for $1300. What are the going rates for Earthshaker? Should I offer $800 for it? I assume it plays well, haven't really looked at it yet because of the $1300 price tag. The playfield seems decent. I know you can haggle prices on other stuff. What would you offer for it?

I can go grab some pics if that helps, but I'd rather have a price in mind so when the dude starts talking to me when I am snapping pictures, I could start talking on a price.

I sold my one and only pin and miss it - need new one!
 
Depending on condition and if it is an earlier model with the sinking building(doubtful), if it is fully working and with no playfield wear, the MAX I personally would go would be $1000. If you could get it for $800, I think you would be doing ok. Great early Lawlor game. Good luck!
 
Based on my email with the original owner the store would be upside down on the machine even at $1300, I offered the original owner $1000 for Earthshaker, and I think that's a good price, $800 seems like a steal, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to offer $1500 to beat the pawn shops offer...

EMAIL...
Hey Luke,
Yep their still available. Well two at least.
NAME EDITED will give me $2,200 for the Earthshaker and one other machine.
It breaks down to 1,400 for the Earthshaker and 800 for the big game.
Let me know what you'd like to do?
Please remember I'm only selling them because I need the space and the machine don't do well in non climate controlled storage.
Thanks,
NAME EDITED

REPLY...
If your interested in a partial trade for Earthshaker I'd do it, but honestly if I were you I'd sell to NAME EDITED.
 
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I just emailed the original owner, I'll try to find out how deep the pawn shop is in it to give you an upper hand in negotiations. I guess it's possible they are already upside down on it, but I doubt it.
 
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This. Their target is 45 to 55% of what they can sell for. It's a business decision. no way a pawnbroker is anywhere near upside down on something as easy to evaluate and price as a pinball machine.
 
Yeah, agreed! If someone is trying to mess with you and claim they are upside then false all the way.

They won't give you much for your items for obvious reasons.
 
I agree they are lying if they say they are upside down. Would tell them that's their problem. $800 and that's your offer. I would say it is probably worth $1000 assuming everything works. I have yet to see anyone sell a fully operating pinball. Malays something wrong with them.
 
I'm just posting what the original owner told me. I also offered him $1000 cash and he turned it down, so that would give some validity to what he's claiming. I've sent him another email asking what he sold it for, but I currently don't have a reply.

PS: He was originally asking $3000, so he has no clue what he was doing.
 
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