Pawn Stars, and the resurgence of restoration TV shows, good?

[tkaz]

So this seems to be a pretty regular comment on the board lately..."I've seen them go for $$$$ on Pawn Stars, or some other show"

That got me wondering, is it a good thing or a bad thing for the hobby that these shows have brought old coin-ops to the public eye, putting some high values around them?

On a bad side, I have seen more Craigslist and eBay ads with rust-buckets going for crazy prices.  People aren't really seeing these things as eye-sores, but instead as dented up rusty V39's that can be turned into sparkling C72's.  That's making it a lot harder to find machines to restore for decent prices, cutting into the margin a little.

On a good side, has anyone seen a increased market of buyers? I would think that if people start seeing the machines on TV, and thinking about buying them, maybe they start searching around for a nice restored machine.  And with the prices they saw on the shows, maybe they are willing to pay a little more.

So...Good or Bad, what do you think?

[SIGNGUY]

I think it depends on what end your one.. if your a buyer, it makes it harder as you get the , "this is worth over 6,000 as is" comments
but I also, agree, that hopefully it will excite some people into buying restored machines..

Next people will just buy them to "SLICE" them up to see how they work... if that guy ever tries that with a soda machine I'll be sick to my stomach.

Good topic, will be curiuos as to others reactions.

[GreginNM]

I guess since I'm not a restorer for profit guy, I'm on the side that says it's not a good thing.  But it's not just the restoration TV shows, either...it's also ebay and craigslist that have hurt the "good deals".  Gone are the days (unless you are real lucky) that you could find a nice, old roundtop in someone's barn or yard sale that is going for next to nothing.  Now days, you always see/hear "I seen them on ebay and it's worth $7000, so I'll sell for $4000, great deal".  Even the rusty junk gets that treatment.

Having said that, I'm still a big fan of more people buying nicely restored machines!  That keeps them from going to the scrap yard or rusting away.  I just hate that people think that their rusted out piece of crap is worth the same as the machine they saw on ebay that is "professionally" restored or the one that is way overpriced and hasn't really sold...just been listed a dozen times.

[Funtronics]

I agree that you here a lot of "I saw one on E-Bay or TV or Craigslist for $$$$ so mine should be worth that. What I do at this point when someone says this to me is " I will give you $$ for it and here is my card". When your really ready to sell it call me. They usually try and sell it for a few months, and finally they get a reality check and pull your card out and takes you up on your offer. I have done this a lot and have had a lot of call backs.
If you can't get it for what your willing to give, just move on to the next one.
I hope the shows do get a lot more young people interested in the hobby. Yes it will make it hard to buy things at a bargin price, but there will always be bargins out there. We may just have to l@@k harder. But I think that we all would like to see the prices on our machines stay high.
This is just my take on things. 

[Kilroy]

I had a close friend who used to always tell me, "Everything has a price, it's worth what ever someone is willing to pay for it."
Ebay has been around for 10 years, but we all have our own "my find of the <day month year, lifetime,etc>  story  we shared here, I tend to think prices will adjust according to demenad, and economic conditions.  My opinion is people are feeling a little more confident  about their jobs and the economy, so  loosening up and going for the want list that was shelved for a few years.

As for the $5000 rust buckets, there will always be those people, no matter what the item. All you can do is try to educate them.  They will learn something, find a sucker and  make a hadsome profit, call you  later, or die with the item in their garage, and the family has to pay someone to haul it off.


Great discussion. i'd love to hear form others

[dw55]

you can still get good deals on ebay i bought this one for $81 i put a cord on itand it gets very cold but it does need a better coin changer and i am watching ebay for one.

[Pat Pixley]

Even though I do not approve of what Rick Dale did with the Vendo to Cavalier deal
and the job on the saleman chest cooler  and he has said it is all the producers making him rush,  I do think it has helped with the hobbies for collecting it has brought young people into it all wide eyed .  And on the flip side Like Rod had said
now people think the have something worth big money and it is not , ( I do like what you do Rod great idea)  I do think there will still be deal to be had  but just fewer that is all.

[collecture]

I think there have always been jokers thinking their rust bucket is worth $$$$ - look how long we have been bashing them on the site here? Much longer than these programs have been on air.
I do think the programs will inspire new collectors and they too will have to earn their stripes like we all have. I think every one of us has overpaid for an item at one time or another! You learn to not get excited and do like Rod does.

For example: I had a guy contact me the other day about some V-39 parts. He did not know exactly what to call each part, so I asked if he could send me a picture. What he sent was a V-39 that definately had some rust issues and was missing the coin door, basket release, index mech, drum post and drum. He told me he drove 500 miles to get it!!
Now he has it parted out on eBay with inflated opening bids trying to get his money back. I totaled all of his listings and it was over $800! I feel sorry for him, but he'll learn.

[Pat Pixley]

For example: I had a guy contact me the other day about some V-39 parts. He did not know exactly what to call each part, so I asked if he could send me a picture. What he sent was a V-39 that definately had some rust issues and was missing the coin door, basket release, index mech, drum post and drum. He told me he drove 500 miles to get it!!
Now he has it parted out on eBay with inflated opening bids trying to get his money back. I totaled all of his listings and it was over $800! I feel sorry for him, but he'll learn.

  Or it will discourage him away from the hobby  but your right Tom we all had to earn our stripes and yes I  know I over paid for a machine or two  but have learned to just walk way .
 Maybe this site should be made mandatory before you buy a machine .

[mznb1u]

I like these shows (except the one that slices up machines! ) from a standpoint that they are keeping the hobby alive and they might flush out some vintage machines that are sitting in basements and in the back of garages.  I just wish they would be more reasonable about the market values of the machines.  My recent long trip to see a Victor C-45 for which the seller told me after I got there that he wanted $8500 (and claims to have turned down offers of $2500 and $3500!) is evidence of that but as Tom pointed out, no matter what the hobby there are always jokers that feel that their "rare" item is worth . . . .

When I encounter this type of situation, I nicely try to explain to the person that the machine that they have is either not that rare or not that desired by collectors due to size in the case of the C-45 for example.  I leave them with a fair offer and my business card.  In the case of the C-45, I also sent the guy an e-mail and gave him some more information about the machine and re-stated my offer.  I also told the guy if the $3500 or $2500 offers were still out there that he should jump on them!  All in all you need to do your research, set your budget and know when to walk away.  There will always be another machine that will turn up.

All that being said, I have a vintage USS-8-64 with the original "rare" woodgrain finish.  It runs and cools and has the rare 35 cent coin mechanism!  I have seen them go for $6,000 on E-Bay but I will let it go for $3,500!  I will help crate and get to shipper! I am keeping the V-39 because I am having that converted to a CS-72!

  Tim