If I had to start collecting arcade machines from scratch. Today. I would offer free storage for playable arcade machines.

Funny thing about free storage. Had a friends pick up 5 or 6 games a few years back. Tekken Tag, Killer Instinct 2, Smash TV, Gauntlet Legends, can't remember the other two... Needless to say, he was out of room at his house so I offered my garage for him to store them. As a thank you, he ended up giving me the Smash TV!
 
I've seen what I would consider a lot of great deals, just not things currently in demand/popular. If you can get a working game for $300-400 that seems awesome to me. (Although shipping costs usually ruin those deals.) If it weren't for youtube videos at auctions, I would never believe anyone on here claiming to get awesome working games for $50-$100 dollars.

My area is the worst for finding anything local. It's all $2k 60-1's and one place restoring games where the starting price is $1800 on anything restored.

The best local deal I've seen since I started looking was a working Captain America and the Avengers arcade for $500 but it was in a sketchy part of town.
 
There are still games out there

For the budget minded collector, there are still plenty of options out there. You can find deals on KLOV, but don't let that be your only source. Use craigslist (take a friend with you), Facebook Marketplace, local auction houses (I paid $5 a piece at an auction for 28 arcades one time!), and my favorite - find a few local Operators.

Most Operators I know have way more inventory than they want. Those who have been in the business long enough are able to see some of their broken machines as more trouble than they are worth, and may be willing to let them go cheap just to get them out of their warehouse.

Sometimes, you even get bonus or freebies. Just be honest and upfront with them, try to build a relationship, and they'll keep calling you when they get inventory.

Most of KLOV actually enjoys working on the machines - it's part of the thrill. If you are willing to work on your machines a bit, you can have a nice collection. Bottom line, deals are out there. Just have to look in the right place and be willing to work on them.
 
Just a few years back nobody wanted those games, that's why the prices were low.

Now every kid that grew up in the 90's wants those games (and not the classic 80's games). Hence prices are rising.

It's simple common sense really.

:confused:
 
Just a few years back nobody wanted those games, that's why the prices were low.

Now every kid that grew up in the 90's wants those games (and not the classic 80's games). Hence prices are rising.

It's simple common sense really.

:confused:

Exactly this.

I really don't understand why anyone is surprised that prices didn't stay low forever. I find it even more confusing that people are upset about it, like it goes against the very spirit of the hobby. That attitude is just not grounded in reality at all.
 
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