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This site makes no attempt to set value

There are some factors that can actually contribute to a games worth, both good and bad.
The MOST important thing to remember right from the start  is that a pinball is like everything else in life, and only worth as much as someone else will ACTUALLY pay you for it, period.

There are however many things can can enhance or decrease value of games. Here we will consider several known details that have proven to effect value of pinball games and discuss each.
game title  - some games are just plain more fun to play, prettier to look at, and this often makes certain games more desireable and sought after than others.
condition  - probably the single most important thing that contributes to value of most things in life is condition, and pinballs are no different. A game that is mint and fully working will surely command a better price more often than not over a game not as nice.

Lets talk about different acronyms often used to describe condition.

(NIB) New in box, just what it says.

(HUO) Home use only, the game was bought new for home use and never been operated on route locations. We do not use (HUO) on this site as this is a too often used term, that is too difficult to verify. Instead, we use the term Excellent.

(NOS) New old stock, normally used to describe brand new parts for older games.

(Working) as it says, game should be fully working. If something does not work it should be disclosed.

(AS IS) game sold as is condition, what you see is what you get.

(Complete) game is complete will all parts as produced by the manufacturer.
desire to sell  - how badly the seller needs to sell the game can also be a factor. If I have a game thats not advertised as it really was not planned to be sold, but you want to buy it from me, then your going to have to make me an offer I can't refuse to get. Usually, that translates to a higher price. On the other hand, if the seller really needs to sell the game quickly as they need the money, then you may be able to purchase the game for a cost below what the game would normally trade for.
trending  - popularity of a certain title can come and go sometimes based on events, such as a newly released movie, death of someone depicted in the game, or because everybody is talking about a certain title. This can and does often effect value.
appearance  - is the game clean, is it very well kept, is it nice to look at. People should be clean, and so should pinballs. Games that are dirty, or stink from bar smoke or vehicle fumes will not command the same price as clean, polished, and shiny games, working or not.
fun  - is the game fun to play or boring. Many of the most sought after titles are wanted by many because they are fun to play.
match up  - the ability to match the buyer with the title they want at the exact time and place when they have money in hand. This sounds easier than it actually is. I desire several titles that I will probably never own, because they command such a high price, I cannot afford to buy them. On the other hand, sometimes I want a certain title, have the money at the time, but cannot find the game for sale, especially local to where I reside.
geography  - where is the game located. A game in Alaska may not bring as much as the same title in Atlanta, because it is too far away from many who may want the game. Shipping is sometimes risky, with high costs, and this often scares buyers away.
invested  - how much time and money does the seller have invested in the game. Lets pretend I buy a dirty game in non-working condition for lets say $400. Then I completely dismantle, clean the game, repair as needed, and replace as many cosmetic items as possible to make the game look new again. Imagine I invest $1600 more money, and 60 hours of work to make the game look and play awesome. Im real happy with the results, but if I ever decide to sell the game, I will surely remember that I have both a lot of time and money invested, therefore if you want this game, you may have to dig deep.
reputation  - who the seller is can actually effect price. If the seller is known in the industry for high end restorations, or selling very clean and fully working games, then this could and should, command a premium price for the game. This is due to peace of mind, and this can be priceless to many people. They want a game that has been thoroughly prepared to hopefully play correctly with minimal problems. Reputable sellers often offer some type of warranty with purchase.
overhead  - if you purchase a game from a seller that has a store you can normally expect to pay a little more for good reason. A business costs money to operate, and a business is in business to make money, otherwise they won't be in business long. Storefronts have rent, utilities, licenses, insurance, and employee costs. As mentioned above, throw in the warranty and you get a higher price, but in most cases worth it, especially to someone who knows nothing about pinball machine repair.
We have discussed many things that effect value of pinball machines.

The most important thing to remember is that a game is really only worth what someone is actually willing to pay for it.
This website is meant to give you a better insight as to what price games have actually traded for in recent times. This does not mean that your game cannot be worth more or less than the amounts shown, as prices do vary. We make every attemp to show actual sales prices from legitimate sales, but we do reserve the right to make mistakes, and we do not claim that all pricing information shown on this website is 100% verified. So use your head, and pay what the game is worth to you, or do not sell the game for less than you really want.
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