What to pay for a gameroom change machine?

driph

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For those of you with change machines in your home arcades, how much did you pay for them? Do the older machines come up fairly often in auctions, or are they just something to keep an eye on craigslist for?

There are loads on ebay, but most of em tend to be modern or new (and therefore costly)...
 
Got mine..

I got mine at a SuperAuctions..and it has sat in storage ever since...LOL..I think I paid $75-100 for it..it was two years ago and I can't remember exactly...
I don't see them on CL very often...haven't really checked Ebay...

You could always post a "wanted" ad on CL and see if anyone contacts you..

Good Luck!

J
 
For those of you with change machines in your home arcades, how much did you pay for them? Do the older machines come up fairly often in auctions, or are they just something to keep an eye on craigslist for?

There are loads on ebay, but most of em tend to be modern or new (and therefore costly)...

I got a small one at the last auction in St. Louis for $50.00.
 
I got a small one at the last auction in St. Louis for $50.00.

Yeah, they had 3 of the little guys (the tall ones) at the last auction here, they went for something like $50 for all 3 of them.

I'd +1 the CL post, a LOT of different places use change machines, so there's a bigger selling market out there than you'd think.
 
Value will depend on whether or not the DB acceptor can accept the newer bills. I think they can be upgraded if they dont, but many times a new acceptor can cost more than the machine itself.
 
I've been keeping an eye out for the old ones because I want to get one, they seem to pop up at auctions on a fairly regular basis for 50-100 depending on size, much more often at 50. I've seen them on ebay but the real bitch with that unless the auction is local is the shipping due to how heavy they are, so I'm just waiting until I can find one local.
 
Yah,
Im looking for one as well. I wouldnt mind paying up to $100 for one, but all the ones ive seen on the bay have been outrageously priced. And it seems that no one around the SC area here has one for sale - at least at that price. :(
 
Got 2 for $150 (one went to a fellow KLOV'er in WA). Old style big brown change machine - Rowe bc25. I had to travel to get them though (got them on the way to CAX).
 
rowe change machines are like tanks. not only in weight but reliability. and most dba's can be upgraded to take the new bills.
 
Paid $50 for my BC-25 last year. Probably the nicest addition to the game room feel..

I set it up to free vend 6 tokens and have all 16 games running tokens..

details on the changer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rw-CXudHxQ

Demo of the free vend..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCgKW-osa2U

I know a change machine would be cool, but I will leave you with this story... I once bought a star wars arcade game that was dead. After cleaning it up, it had a quarter that fell accross the fuse block. Blew up the pcb.

How many games have you bought with stray coins all over the place in the cabinet? I know its probably was a 1 in a million shot, But its a risk I don't think is worth taking. Free play all of them if you ask me.
 
I went to an auction and was surprised that the small little changer (that accepted newer bills) went for more than most games! Like $1,100!?!?
 
I experienced the same at the last michaelangelo auction here in IL. I was hoping to pick up another slim changer for parts as I've been having trouble with my BC-150. Then I saw a cool rowe changer with the tokens sign on top and thought I'd go for that too...nope.

There wasn't a single machine that went for less than $350...crazy.

If anyone has a spare PS or computer control board for a rowe BC 150 or similar, please let me know!

Chris

I went to an auction and was surprised that the small little changer (that accepted newer bills) went for more than most games! Like $1,100!?!?
 

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I know a change machine would be cool, but I will leave you with this story... I once bought a star wars arcade game that was dead. After cleaning it up, it had a quarter that fell accross the fuse block. Blew up the pcb.

How many games have you bought with stray coins all over the place in the cabinet? I know its probably was a 1 in a million shot, But its a risk I don't think is worth taking. Free play all of them if you ask me.

That's about the craziest reason to avoid coins that I've ever heard of. I'm sure many stray coins have got in strange places due to moving/tipping the game, not from a coin drop itself.

On most games a stray coin near high voltage is not even remotely possible. On those where it is possible, it would be trivial to remedy.

Wade
 
I have been looking for one locally for the laundry room in my apartments. I haven't seen one for less than $300.
 
Got mine at an auction for $25, at checkout they only charged me $15, opened it up and found $7.50 in change! grand total of $7.50 ...working by the way! It was a rowe big brown bc-25:)
 
Wow, I'd love to get one of these for the gameroom. We had a liquidation sale locally here a couple of weeks ago and the 2 token machines each sold for $800+. They were newer ones though. Even the computer-driven token dispenser (like for a front counter/cashier area) went for over $150 if I remember correctly. I'll have to keep my eyes open for all these $25-50 ones you guys seem to have plenty of.
 
That's about the craziest reason to avoid coins that I've ever heard of. I'm sure many stray coins have got in strange places due to moving/tipping the game, not from a coin drop itself.

On most games a stray coin near high voltage is not even remotely possible. On those where it is possible, it would be trivial to remedy.

Wade

I guess you never looked inside a cosmic chasm. almost the entire floor of the cabinet is just power supply and transformers(3).

I agree is not very likely, but its pretty easy add a credit button or put a game on free play.
 
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