Zoo Keeper value?

timberterror

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I am working on moving down to DFW. Most likely I'll only be taking 2 games with me of the 6 I have. I am having a difficult time about which ones to keep. I think I'll keep 1 vid and 1 pin. For the vid I am leaning toward keeping my red DK as it's been my favorite games since I was a kid. That means the Zoo Keeper would go. I know if I sell I'll probably never find another.

Which brings me to the value. The last one on ebay that sold went for $1500. IIRC one sold here earlier this year and the asking price was $1400, not sure on selling price. The machine is in great shape. The marquee is almost perfect, bezel has minor flaking at the top that isn't very noticeable, cp was stripped and new overlay installed (it's a inkjet as the silkscreen wasn't available at the time), newer buttons, joystick grommet, coin processor bypass rom, remote battery pack installed, arcadeshop power supply with Taito adapter and rebuilt base.

Also included is a slikscreened cp overlay I got when it was available again. I know at least one local collector wants it and I want to come up with a fair price.

Thoughts? Thanks, Barry
 

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Just keep the Keeper. It's not that big of a cab. Don't do something you'll regret.
 
Yeah, i agree. Donkey Kongs are all over the place, Zoo Keepers are not. Especially in great condition.
 
Just keep the Keeper. It's not that big of a cab. Don't do something you'll regret.

I completely agree.

Ditch all three pins if you really can only take two hulks. TBH, all three kinda suck, will likely yield more than you paid, and are easily replaceable.

Red DK (if REAL) and Zookeeper are much harder to replace than anything else you own. Those are the (2) to bring.
 
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actually, if you like ZK i'd agree with the above (at least, keep the ZK over DK.) games in Texas seem to be plentiful and cheap.

as to putting a value on it, it's kinda tough since there's been such a surge in interest about ZK with collectors in the last couple of years. i think $1500 is a bit on the high side but if it's really nice and if you can find the right buyer that maybe do-able. i don't think this is one of those games you can easily put a "fair" price on at the moment.
 
I could take all of them. I am trying to make the move as easy as possible and I need to able to fit my entire home contents in a 26ft uhaul truck. It's also hard to tell the wife we can't take "x" but the games all go. We'll see as it's not 100% done, maybe 75% now.

We may end up moving 3 times. Once to a rental when house sells, move to DFW into rental, move into new house. Trying to move and deal with storage may be a pain. - Barry
 
you don't see many ZK's anymore especially in nice shape, I'd say keep it but if you have to sell it to the right collector $1500 & up.
 
Have a local collector hold it (or them) for you with the option to buy if you don't collect it within a certain time frame. You'll regret selling the ZK for sure. You'll get time to settle in and then can move the games into the new house.
 
Zk

Sorry folks. This zk will fetch 2000. I searched for a year before i found my huo. Saw afew worse then this selling for 1600- 1800. This is one game that is very hard to find and more folks willing to pay more to end the search. Good luck with the move and your sale.
 
You'd be crazy to sell a ZK before a DK, but thats just my opinion. Red DKs do nothing for me though, and you can find blue ones no problem. You hardly ever see nice ZKs. Ever.
 
Which brings me to the value. The last one on ebay that sold went for $1500. IIRC one sold here earlier this year and the asking price was $1400, not sure on selling price.

Sold for $1400, cash. It was mine. Took 11 days to sell.

It's a machine for spenders, not fender-kickers. :cool: The demand is there.
 
Have a local collector hold it (or them) for you with the option to buy if you don't collect it within a certain time frame. You'll regret selling the ZK for sure. You'll get time to settle in and then can move the games into the new house.

This isn't a bad idea, just gotta find the right person. If someone was moving here and needed to keep a game or two in my arcade for 2-3 months, I'd be more than willing to provide a safe, dry place for them.
 
Have a local collector hold it (or them) for you with the option to buy if you don't collect it within a certain time frame. You'll regret selling the ZK for sure. You'll get time to settle in and then can move the games into the new house.

Hell, you could charge me rent to hold on to that thing for you!! :)
 
IMO the price is extremely inflated for this game right now like the prices for red-tents a few years ago. They are not rare by any means. It was a very popular game in it's time and there was one in every arcade. Personally I'd never pay more than 8 or 9 hundo for one that is in really nice shape. That's just my opinion though. Seems like a bunch of people get interested in the same timeframe in a particular game that's not really rare and it really drives the price up quite a bit then they all get tired of it at the same time and the price drops again.
 
I have the same affinity for the red DK. If you sell yours I might be interested (if it's in better shape than mine). I agree that Zoo Keeper is probably more rare, and worth more, although it's not as good of a game.

That AFM is probably worth more than all of your other stuff combined.
 
Oh wait, you've got a RFM, not an AFM. Not nearly as inflated but a cool pin!
 
I agree that Zoo Keeper is probably more rare, and worth more, although it's not as good of a game.

ZK is so much better than Donkey Kong its not even funny.

I'm a DK fan for sure, but I fucking LOVE Zoo Keeper. I have both, so I don't have to worry about choosing, haha.
 
Donkey Kong can't even hold a candle to Zoo Keeper. If I had 10 quarters and a place had a Zoo Keeper that was 10 quarters per credit and a Donkey Kong that was 2 credits per quarter then I would play the Zoo Keeper.

Donkey Kong has aged terribly and it hasn't been helped by all the later console titles in which Mario basically looks the same but has much more responsive controls.

Zoo Keeper however, if anything it got better with age. It has some of the best gameplay to come out of the classic era.

There is a reason it commands a 4 figure price despite the fact that it isn't rare, vector, or laserdisc and noncollectors haven't even heard of it.

ZK is so much better than Donkey Kong its not even funny.

I'm a DK fan for sure, but I fucking LOVE Zoo Keeper. I have both, so I don't have to worry about choosing, haha.
 
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