Which is a better investment 10 years out, pinball or classic coin-op videogames?

Which of the following coin-op category is likely to be the best investment over the next 10 years?


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mclemore

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For much of the last 20 years, pinball machines slowly went up in value, while coin-op video games really didn't. Then over the last 5-10 years, pinballs have continued to go up in value, and so have classic videogames. Classic videogames may have gone up in value because of a population of enthusiasts that remembered the games originally reaching an age in which they had free time and money. Or maybe they went up in value because so many of them have gotten sucked up by the hundreds of retro-arcades (with and without a liquor license) that have opened throughout the country.

In any case, what do you think the trend will be over the next 10 years? Buying at today's prices, which do you think will be a better investment?
 
Pins. Multiplayer aspect and fun for the whole family and years of fun vs the same old patterns on classic games. Love classics but the generic Pac/DK games don't even hit 4 figures whereas common Williams 90s stuff is nearing 5 figures. Also 80s Ballys...finding restored ones now in the mid 4 figures for easy sales as demand is an all time high on those and classic Sterns from the early 80s
 
I suspect they will all go the way of Juke boxes. Cool and interesting but as people who remember them get older and die off, the interest will wane. Buy them for the fun, nostalgia and joy of playing them. Not for long term investment.

But if I had to choose over the next 10 years I would go with pins hands down.
 
As 90s kids cross the threshold of being borderline indigent and rekindle desires from their nostalgic past, video games will be on the rise for the next 10 years imo. That is assuming the next generation can afford a house to put a pin or arcade in…. In general I think todays youth has a lack of interest in anything that doesn't fit in their pocket. It would be interesting to see a poll from a high school classroom if they prefer video games or pinball. I think lack of pin machines in the wild today contributes to that problem as well. Not as common to see a pin at the pizza parlor anymore compared to a multicade 1up…time will tell🙃
 
Nice thread resurrection. Based on the OP, "10 years from now" is now "7 years from now". That said, I'm not a pin guy but in the long run I think interest old video games will fall off much more than it will with pins.
 
I'm not a pinball guy. When I was in arcades, pinball was dead (late 80's early 90's). I own 40 something video games that can be emulated on your phone. No new good video games are being created. Pinball however has new titles coming out all the time. I think Pinball is the one that will keep going and retain its value somewhat over time.
 
I'm stunned at what pins cost these days and somehow they seem to keep appreciating overall too.
That said, collectively none of this stuff should be considered an investment unless you are putting it somewhere that it will generate cashflow.

We are collecting amusing relics of a bygone era.
 
I'm stunned at what pins cost these days and somehow they seem to keep appreciating overall too.
That said, collectively none of this stuff should be considered an investment unless you are putting it somewhere that it will generate cashflow.

We are collecting amusing relics of a bygone era.
More home buyers wanting pins, some limited stock means FOMO which can drive the price of a game up. When there was delays on stock, it was pretty common for people to buy NIB, play it for a few months, then sell it for profit. Used to be plenty of ads on site like pinside of people just hoarding NIBs to flip because they had a distributor connection and could take advantage of those not wanting to wait months in queue.
 
It's got to be pins. Tubes in arcade cabs will run out of electrons to shoot, but pins can be repaired forever.
 
None of my core collection is an investment. I like looking at them and see no need to sell them. My estate will get to deal with it.

For the others, considering my time, they are all a loss.
 
Unless you can get them for pennies on the current dollar, I wouldn't consider any of them a solid investment right now.

Both will continue to climb in value IMO, but not so much that they could be considered investment pieces. Not at current market prices.
 
Pins hands down.

Seem to retain there value more than arcade machines.

But there are a few rare arcade cans that seems to be holding there own. Spy Hunter, Star Wars and other select few.
 
game1.jpg Antique . All the old classic stuff will increase with inflation , like fender guitars and Winchester rifles .
 
depends what you buy. you could get a zaxxon or a bingo pinball for next to nothing and 10 years from now it will still be next to nothing.
yes there are more high priced pins than high priced vids but either category can be a good investment if only you buy the right games.
that being said return investment is in the back of my mind but it is not why i buy games.
 
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