$10,000 dollar challenge - what do you buy

[theyangman]

Let's say you got $10,000.00, assuming fair market value and not stupid insane deals. What machine(s) do you buy and why.

Rules:

1. No "I'll buy a fixer upper for half price" all games are bought working and in fair condition for fair values.

2. No "I know a guy who can hook me up" once again assuming relative fair, current market values.

3. No mods, keep this straight up machine related only.

4. No "I'll buy a virtual pin and keep the rest" or "I already have what I need so I'll keep the cash" assume you own nothing, and are starting fresh with a budget of 10k. You spend it or lose it.

5. Every single game is at your disposal in the magical warehouse so no shipping or limitations of your current basement/gameroom/wife or significant other.

Keep it fun. Just want to see what people would buy and for what reasons.

GO!!!!

Sent from my Pixel XXXL

 

[theyangman]

1. Fish Tales - My absolute favorite as a kid as it was at the local arcade I grew up in and played it a zillion times.

2. Star trek TNG - Also played a ton as a kid and I'm a huge TNG fan.

Hopefully those two would come close to being 10k or thereabouts. It's not price is right so a little over isn't terrible.

Sent from my Pixel XXXL

 

[meegis]

Sadly, a new stern will run you more than 10k after tax if you want a new premium/le

I'm not quite sure what I'd buy though. I have eclectic taste.

 

[luch]

too many rules ! lol

 

[maken]

Metallica premium NIB.

From the US obviously, not Starburst, as they would charge more and it wouldn't work.

 

[DRANO]

I'm going to approach this from the point of view of someone who has no machines (starting from scratch) because, what I would buy today with $10K is highly influenced by what I've already got.

First of all, I'd spread it around and try to get some variety because it sucks playing the same type of game all of the time... and there's just so many facets to pinball that owning all modern or all vintage is just, well... like eating tunafish sandwiches every day.

So. I'd try and stretch it to:

-one DMD or later alphanumeric, lets say Fun House for sake of argument... maybe $4-$5K for a nice one?
-one mid-1980s solid state. Some of the better classic sterns and Bally are getting up there in price, but $3K should get you into a really nice machine.
-with $2K+ left over (presumably) I would opt for a couple of EMs. I'm partial to single player wedge heads like Volley, Jacks Open, C37 and many many others.

But you could slice this many different ways and maybe set aside $5K-$6K for that really nice game like the FH or even a 90's DMD and then use the balance to get a couple of solid state games under $2K like a High Speed, F14, Eight Ball, Joker Poker etc... If you played your cards right you might still have $500-$1000 left over to put into a decent little EM.

A little speech and synth, a little "bleep, blop, bloop" and something with chimes.
Now that would be the perfect way to spend $10K on pinball IMO!
Variety is the spice of life after all.

 

[stiffler4444]

Well, since it's not 10K that I had to work for or save for I'd splurge on a Scared Stiff and try to squeeze in a Hurricane with the change left over.

 

[Luckydogg420]

I just did this. My choice was to save up to get a GoT premium

Other options
TSPP or LOTR for 6k-7k and an '80's solid state (they might be hard to find though)
AFM for ~10k (might be hard to find)
MMR or MM both are close in price MMR is easier to get though.
Star Trek, ~8k (not as fun as GoT but you'll save a bit of cash and should be easy to find)

 

[Menace]

I'd grab the only real game left on my WTB list, Safecracker. With the spare change I'd probably add a couple EM's. (C37, Cleo, Volley, 300 or something to that effect)

D

 

[OneFlip]

I just can't see myself having half or all of my collections investment tied up in 1 game, so probably no dmds, unless space is an issue. Otherwise I think I could scrounge around and pull this off. 6 players condition game to have friends over and play all night and not get tired of the same game.

Rollergames
Space shuttles
High speed
Grand lizard
Jacks open
Volley

 

[maken]

AFM for ~10k (might be hard to find)

AFM has officially been announced as the next remake by PPS... soon they will be easy to find!

 

[WARLOCK]

Based on the rules and Drano's fine description and one way of interpreting the of the rules... here are 2 examples of what Brewmanager and I have both done with $10k in reality for pins. (We both still own all these examples) (And no, none of these pins would be for sale outside of Walt or myself owning them anytime soon. Like 10+ years to life...)

Walt:

1) Oxo
2) Argosy
3) High Speed
4) Roadshow
5) Whirlwind

Scott

1) C-37
2) Volley
3) Joker Poker
4) Space Shuttle
5) STTNG

I'm not saying you can get all those exact titles for $10k today, but I 'm not saying you can't either...
You could certainly follow this basic format and end up with a very nice 4-5 pin collection choosing your own titles...

 

[Jeff K.]

At the moment, for $10k, I would enjoy owning some variation/combo of:
Flintstones, Jurassic Park & Johnny Mnemonic (or JD).
These are games I've never owned but have enjoyed playing in the past; and that I think my family/friends would all enjoy.

 

[BMHouze]

CV

 

[Pinball Junkie]

The new PPS remake AFMR!

 

[kvoxx]

As much as I would love to have a nib game I would rather have multiple games to have and play. I believe this is doable in today's market and maybe with some money to spare on a cheap EM.
High speed
Starship troopers
Demolition man

 

[Honey Badger]

GOT Premium, best pin ever made and I can play it for hours without getting bored!

 

[Bigbossfan]

Glad to hear you're still enjoying the GOT bud!!

For me, at this point in time, MET Premium all the way. Nothing else really interests me.

 

[TwilightZone]

I like Draino's approach and would do something similar.

Assuming I'm starting from scratch, I would add my favourite game first. So TZ. I don't know what they sell for now. $6 to $7k? I honestly have no idea. I'm going to guess $6K.

I would then add a system 11. I think $2,500 would get me a nice and working system 11. Whirlwind would be ideal, but it may be more now. I'm sure I could get some Sys. 11 I would be happy with in that range.

That leaves $1,500. Pretty easy to find a couple of decent EMs in that price range. At worst, I could find one really nice one.

That leaves me with three games. Thinking about it further. Not sure I would be happy dropping to three games. So I'd probably try and get 2 DMD games instead. Shouldn't be hard to find two decent DMDs in the $3K range. I haven't bought anything in ages, so I may be off.

In the end, I would go for decent, quality games over one mint game.

 

[spiroagnew]

My take, a couple with examples of each.

$3000 - ONE toy-filled "Value" DMD: World Cup Soccer 94, HS2, WWF Royal Rumble
$4000 - TWO post-1984 Solid State titles: Rollergames, Diner, Sorcerer, Space Shuttle, Pinbot, Laser War, Robocop
$1500 - ONE early SS Bally/Stern: Harlem Globetrotters, Supersonic, Skateball, Stars, Meteor
$1500 - TWO EMs: Volley, C37, Abra Ca Dabra, Spanish Eyes, OXO, Royal Flush, Target Alpha

Six games for 10K, all of the popular "vintage" eras covered...except woodrails, which shouldn't bother anyone except Warlock and Drano. I'm not a modern Stern guy, so I axed them out of the equation. If you want a modern Stern in your mix, combine the monies of line one and three ($4500) and buy yourself a RCT/WOF/HRC, however, I wouldn't go that route.