Comic Book or Pinball Machine

[Damocles]

I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I've been looking for a particular pinball machine for a few years now. One has finally cropped up, but I'm short on funds. I do, however have a near-mint issue of Giant Size X-Men #1. Selling this would put me, much like Stallone, over the top fund wise.

What would you do?

EDIT: It's a Safecracker pin.

[caldwert]

The question is what pinball machine? I own 5 at the moment and consider myself fairly knowledgable about them.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I've notice the price of a used Wiilliams' 1989 Police Force pinball machine has slowly gone up. It used to be that you could get one for about $750.00+ but it has gone up to $950.00 & up nowdays. Trying to aim for those "Five Free Games" made it worth your while to score it big time.

I'd sell the comic book and get the pinball machine...don't miss out on an golden opportunity if you see one as it might not come around again. You only live once so make the most of it.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Damocles]

Damn...how did I make it through that paragraph without mentioning the pin name. Safecracker. It's a local dude, and he'll hold it for a while, so I might not have to sell the book.

[caldwert]

I've only played that about 3 games out at the Pinball Hall of Fame in Vegas. Definitely rare and goes for a lot. I'm not sure how much that XMen is worth but you won't lose money ever on this.

[Warp_Rattler]

Beyond reading collected graphic novels and the like I never got into the comic book scene, but I was always a bit freaked out about the whole authoritarian craziness of the CGC grading system and how "collecting" generally means keeping the things in hermetically sealed vaults where they will last for a thousand years, never to be read again. If the opinion of a totally unrelated random Internet stranger is worth anything, I'd say get the pinball machine. You'll get a lot more entertainment value out of it, and it could be a good learning tool for pinball restoration and maintenance should you ever want to get a couple more tables or try and pass the thing on for a bit of profit in the future.

[Damocles]

Collecting is a bitch. I've had this comic since 1994, and it has been in a climate regulated room in the dark since then. Bag changes every few months. It's a pain in the ass and I know it's ultimately a losing battle. I bought it for the first appearance of Nightcrawler, but goddamn. I don't want to be around when it eventually deteriorates. Oddly enough, this particular pin is little different. There are only ~1000 out there. God forbid the ramp needs replaced.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Ah yes, I've played the Safecracker pinball machine at a California Extreme show once despite it's rarity factor and high price that it commands nowdays. I like how it's a smaller pinball machine compared (like the Williams Pinball 2000 series) to wide body pinball machines like The Twilight Zone one which sure does take up some valuable real estate space indeed.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[drboom]

Sell the book, get the pin and a graphic novel when you feel like reading some comics.

I use to collect stuff like toys and comics until I realized I had a lot of rare stuff sealed in packages I couldn't play with or read and I thought about all the awesome stuff I could buy and actually use if I sold them. I did, and I bought a Star Wars stand-up arcade, a couple motorcycles and vintage scooters. Made me a lot happier.

[caldwert]

The repro pinball part scene is pretty big, so the ramp might already be in production somewhere. I'd say go with the pinball as they've only been going up in value and I know Safecracker is one of the ones people really really want.

[brentsg]

This thread makes me want to hunt down one of my wife's relatives.

We were traveling several years ago and we stayed with one of her aunts I think it was. Her cousin was either in the military or had moved off someplace, can't remember. Anyways he had 2... yes 2 Bally 1978 KISS pinball machines. One was in his bedroom and the other was in a family room. Both were nice as hell too.

Love to get one of those!

[caldwert]

They're probably worth around $2k a piece if they're in good shape. I'd say go hunt em down, lol. I know I would be on the phone right now. Why did they have 2?

[brentsg]

They're probably worth around $2k a piece if they're in good shape. I'd say go hunt em down, lol. I know I would be on the phone right now. Why did they have 2?

Well his whole room was KISS deco so it was that more so than general pinball geek syndrome.

I'll have to remember which he was. Typical Catholic Illinois farm family stuff. All of them had like 12 kids each, so narrowing it down to a cousin doesn't really accomplish much.

[Joe T.]

Get the pinball.

Also, regarding Kiss...I fucking hate Kiss, but check this out and get your mind blown.

He Shines. Like a Beacon.

[brentsg]

Get the pinball.

Also, regarding Kiss...I fucking hate Kiss, but check this out and get your mind blown.

You seem to hate a lot of things.

[Zeether]

Go for the pinball.

[Skyline]

Go for the pin.

Fighting a losing battle against pinball table deterioration is a lot more feasable and most likely a bit less stressful than fighting a losing battle against comic book deterioration.

[Joe T.]

Get the pinball.

Also, regarding Kiss...I fucking hate Kiss, but check this out and get your mind blown.

You seem to hate a lot of things.

My mentor.

[GaijinPunch]

What's the book worth?

[brentsg]

What's the book worth?

A book like that has to be graded and all sealed up to establish a price.

A graded "9.4" copy is maybe $1500-$2000, while a "9.8" is $6000-10,000.

I invested $0.25 in a copy with the front cover ripped off. I bet I've quadrupled my money on it.

[GaijinPunch]

I assume a book in 9.8 condition has likely not been read?

[brentsg]

I assume a book in 9.8 condition has likely not been read?

Probably just read by a collector that had an idea that comics might be worth something someday. It was pretty common for a decent comic shop to sell the books in archival grade plastic bags. If it was read a couple of times and then put back in the bag, often even taped shut.. then that would be enough to keep the pages white. White pages aren't brittle, so store it upright in a box and you've got a $10k comic when the grading phenomenon comes around.

I've got thousands of comics from my childhood in such shape but I've never bothered to do anything with them. I recall having collected some of the early X-Men and Spider-Man stuff because I liked them. I've got several of the first dozen Amazing Spider-Man issues. I remember passing up Iron Man #1 because I didn't have $50. Good times for sure.. But I've ended up with this opinion that it's not healthy for an 8 year old kid to be worrying about keeping things in mint condition. That shit comes back to haunt you later.

[Alec]

Don't sell X-Men for a pinball. Just don't.