So I have to assume this side art isn't original?

I dont think anyone reproduces the purple centipede side art anyways correct me if I'm wrong.
 
You said that it's sat in someone's basement for the past 15 years, so its wear and tear hasn't happened during the past 15 years. That brings us to 2002. You have to go back quite a bit further than that to give it enough time to get so beat up around the corners and edges. Who was making screen printed reproductions of Centipede sideart back then?

Phoenix Arcade was making screen-printed Centipede sideart (from original Atari films) back then. It was also the same type (purple outline around bug) that you see on this cab.
 
Phoenix Arcade was making screen-printed Centipede sideart (from original Atari films) back then. It was also the same type (purple outline around bug) that you see on this cab.

We don't know exactly when "back then" was. The OP's machine was obviously on location with that side art for some time prior to the early '00s, considering the damage around the control panel areas and bottom corners. Have you ever known of an operator to replace full side art like that just to put it back out on location to get beat up again? Just the removal of the original full side art alone is a major job, which is why operators didn't normally remove it even when converting the game; they usually just painted over it and then stuck the conversion art on top of that.

Aside from the major job of removal, you would also need to do some Bondo/filler work around the edges, because by the time the original full side art is so beat up that anyone would consider replacing it, you can be sure the edges of the particle board would be beat up too. I'll bet there are zero signs of any Bondo/filler work ever having been done on that cabinet, because it's incredibly unlikely that its side art isn't original.

Phoenix Arcade appeared in 1997. I don't know if they offered reproduction Centipede side art from day one or not, but this comes down to a matter of likelihood. Most anything is technically possible, but some possibilities are so remote that they aren't worth considering. For example, it's technically possible that the cabinet itself isn't even original; it could be a scratch-built replica.
 
The OP's machine was obviously on location with that side art for some time prior to the early '00s, considering the damage around the control panel areas and bottom corners.

I would not make that assumption. Hell, I've seen HUO machines with a lot more damage on them than that Centipede. We're talking about a game that's probably been in collector hands for around two decades now. Games get dinged up from moving around. I've got games that have worse battle scars just from letting friends borrow them....

Aside from the major job of removal, you would also need to do some Bondo/filler work around the edges, because by the time the original full side art is so beat up that anyone would consider replacing it, you can be sure the edges of the particle board would be beat up too. I'll bet there are zero signs of any Bondo/filler work ever having been done on that cabinet, because it's incredibly unlikely that its side art isn't original.

Lack of bondo tells you nothing. The guy that puts repro side art on crooked is the same guy that doesn't bother to repair the cab edges.

I believe it is quite possible that this is a circa 2000 "restoration". You'd really have to inspect the sideart up close to determine if it is original or repro. Phoenix Arcade's repro sideart has always been top notch.
 
I would not make that assumption. Hell, I've seen HUO machines with a lot more damage on them than that Centipede.

We're talking about a game that's probably been in collector hands for around two decades now. Games get dinged up from moving around. I've got games that have worse battle scars just from letting friends borrow them....

According to the OP, it's been in someone's basement for the past ~15 years collecting dust. And dings from moving around don't look the same as years of wear and tear from being on location. They are isolated rather than ~uniform, and they would only end up in the typical high-wear areas by blind chance. Keep in mind that wear and tear that you see on a cabinet in a relatively low resolution picture is always worse in real life than it looks in the picture.

Lack of bondo tells you nothing. The guy that puts repro side art on crooked is the same guy that doesn't bother to repair the cab edges.

Lack of Bondo/filler tells you everything you need to know here, given that side art applied over beat up particle board would be blatantly obvious. No signs of Bondo/filler, and no signs of having been applied over beat up particle board, means the side art was applied over new wood, i.e., the wood and the side art have always been together.
 
When I was loading/unloading the game I think I seen bondo or some type of filler on the rear/bottom side panels where the t-molding would go (looks like the cab had water damage and there's some swelling on the bottom part of the panels front and sides).

I don't think it's original because both sides are misaligned (what are the chances of the factory identically misaligning both sides?)

But on the other hand, it kinda looks too good to be repro...

I don't think I'll ever know for sure, lol...
 
When I was loading/unloading the game I think I seen bondo or some type of filler on the rear/bottom side panels where the t-molding would go (looks like the cab had water damage and there's some swelling on the bottom part of the panels front and sides).

Do you have pictures of it? If there's Bondo under the side art, then that suggests the side art has been replaced. Though, without knowing Atari's manufacturing practices, it can't be said for sure. For example, brand new cars have body filler on them. Some of it is routine and on every car, such as at the seam between the rear quarter panel and the C-pillar, and some of it is applied as-needed, to fix any minor dings/dents that may happen on the production line.

Keep in mind that Bondo is commonly used when replacing T-molding, to repair damaged T-molding slots.

I don't think it's original because both sides are misaligned (what are the chances of the factory identically misaligning both sides?)

The chances are very good after one side has been applied off-center. Applying the other side off-center as well makes them at least match.

I don't think I'll ever know for sure, lol...

Try to find out who owned it before whoever you bought it from owned it.
 
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FWIW, my REPRO side art on my Centipede looks very similar (texture, etc).

One potential clue would be if the art wraps around and under the T-Molding... if it does, guaranteed repro. If it doesn't... it's still a toss up.

EDIT:Re examining it, it does appear to be properly cut however, rather than folded over and under the T-Molding.
 
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