Auctions

As the next arcade game auction here in Indianapolis approaches this Saturday, I have had a couple of questions come through about what to expect at the fairgrounds if you have never been before. Well, here are couple of things that may seem like common knowledge to most and may be talked about somewhere if you are willing to hunt for the information, but what fun is that? Let’s just talk about USAmusements right here. (more…)

On Friday night I made a quick mention of some of the final prices at the Pinball Expo 2008 Super Auction. I finalized the photos with prices and have them loaded up in a gallery. Don’t be too surprised when you don’t see very many classic games though.

“Oh, Oh! And boom goes the dynamite” says the Caveman.

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The USAmusements auction had a much better showing for games this March than it appeared to have in January. We had a number of classics, including two Ms. Pac-man’s and a Galaga, but for me the main attractions were a really nice looking Williams Moon Patrol, complete but not working and a Super Pac-man Cocktail. (more…)

I was pretty bummed that I didn’t make it to the Indianapolis USAmusements arcade game auction for the first time in a year and a half. But, with an opportunity like the Tiger Fantasy Spring Baseball Camp, I had to make an exception.

I asked Mike if he could take photos and prices of the arcade games, and like a peach, he came through. Huge nod to Mike, thanks so much.

All that he had to say was that there weren’t a ton of items there, as you will see from the photos, and everything got to be really expensive, especially the typical items like the Ms. Pacman(s) and the Galaga(s).

Maybe March will be better. I was just glad that two of the games I have been waiting to pop up here didn’t come when I left, an Xevious and / or a Mappy.

Here is a list of the pinballs not pictured above that were at the auction with prices;

• Championship Pub - $1850
• World Cup Soccer - $1000
• Kick Off (Bally EM) - $250
• Theatre of Magic - $2100
• NBA Fastbreak - $750
• Monopoly - $1850
• Gladiator - $675
• Goldeneye - $975
• Jurassic Park - $800
• SpaceJam - $725
• Dracula - $1000
• Congo - $950
• Tales from the Crypt - $875

Pretty exciting. I popped out on Monday like I normally do to see if there was anything.

Well, there are a ton of games, all starting around $25.

They have a Ms. Pac, Jr. Pac (conversion), Galaga, Qbert, Mr. Do! (Pac-man cab), Arkanoid, Centipede Cabaret and Lethal Enforcers. I have a feeling I might seriously bid on the Galaga depending on condition. Supposedly it works. The Ms. Pac looks like it has great color in the sideart too, and Qbert is just a cool game.

We’ll see how this develops, I have until Thursday to decide.

I was very suprised to see this listed on the Super Auctions auction page back in April. I had considered going over to Dayton
to check out that auction they were putting on in May, and they had another one the same day as the Pinball at the Zoo in Kalamazoo, MI. It seemed like this summer they are really making a push to get out there and make more auctions.

I very much think this will be a one time deal, and could prove very interesting. Robert doesn’t recall a Super Auction since he
has been in the hobby, so they haven’t been here for at least 10 years. I don’t know if they will bring inventory with them, reading their website that is a very good possibility.

All I know is that the project games in Kzoo, and some of the regular ones went for very little money, even more so than the US Amusement auctions, so I am really looking forward to this one. I am having issues finding someone with a vehicle that will be around, but that will have to just work itself out.

Don’t know what I will be able to post about the auction. I have heard that they are really weird about you taking photos, which I don’t have any idea why. I will try anyway, it’s a free country.

Update: The auction didn’t go down today, the website said “Auction Postponed”. I was irked to say the least, because the post didn’t come up until late Friday night more than likely, because I didn’t see it before I went downtown. I do hope they re-schedule, but I know they pissed off a bunch of people who came from 90 miles away or more. Especially with the way gas prices are right now.

Looking forward going to this auction this time around, specifically because I am on the lookout for a short list of machines. I would say most of them won’t show up, but two or three might and this might be a great place to get them because of the drop in attendance. But because of the attendance dropping, this could also mean an even worse show than the last one.

At the very least, I will be going early in the morning to check out what is available.

Now that this auction is over, I will say that this one was better than the last for selection of classic arcade games. That row had a couple of mini’s (Pac and Ms. Pac), a Galaga, and even a Defender that went for a pretty penny. I left with a great deal on a Dig Dug, and I thought there seemed to be a few more items this time and more people.