Maybe it's time to consider splitting the board into 2 groups. I am getting a little frustrated offering free advise to people who only are interested in the financial aspect of this hobby. Just a little reminder, old soda machine collecting can be a great hobby when you are not constantly focusing on the financial aspects.
There is a fine line between "are not constantly focusing on the financial aspects" and completely ignoring that they can sell to the right person at the right time for 3-4 times the $400 that everyone is throwing out. Talk about kicking a newby square in the teeth then asking what his problem is. A gallon of red paint can cost more then $400!! A lot of things that get restored will never be worth all the money put into them.
Yes, machines can be bought for less then some people pay, but yes, there is a market above the rock bottom prices that are thrown out here because a machine is low on the "collectors" scale. Some people want decoration, and most machines NEVER GET PLUGGED IN!!!!! Want proof of that, how many machines do each of us have that are not plugged in at the moment, and have pulled them out of places that they are not plugged in.
Value, is about how much is something is worth, not how much would someone pay who hates that model!! If you ever ask an appraiser how much something is worth, its not an offer to buy, its a calculation based on the actual SALE prices. That never means its an EASY sale, and usually answered with... "To the right person..."
I agree with the splitting of SMC but I would suggest something that would reflect those that remember easily buying machines for the prices that people here value them at, and those of us that never had the chance and think they are valued at what they have actually been selling for in the last couple of years!!!!
My dad bought an ice cream cone the other day and was complaining to me that it was $2.37 and I just laughed. The difference is, I don't ever making that as an hourly wage like he does so it meant nothing to me.
