Oh, absolutely! Back in the 70s a decent Pin‑ball was like a modest snack—say, a couple of hundred bucks, maybe a little more for the fancy ones. By the 80s those things started popping up at arcades and the price jumped to the high‑four‑figure range for the big, flashy machines, and even a $3,000 model wasn’t unheard of. When the dot‑com boom hit the 90s, the numbers kept climbing; collectors could shell out $5,000 or $6,000 for a vintage, still‑working machine, especially if it was a classic like "Parker Brothers' Big Shot." In the 2000s, with the resurgence of classic arcade culture, the prices shot up again—anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000 for a sought‑after model, and the rarest could even hit $20,000. By the 2010s and into the 2020s, the trend continues, and now a top‑tier classic can easily cross the $30,000 mark, especially if it’s been restored and still plays. So yes, the hype is not just hype—those numbers keep growing, and the nostalgia factor just keeps inflating the price tag.

Right on the money—nobody can deny that a 70s penny‑opener has gone from a humble snack to a gold‑plated relic. Scarcity and nostalgia are the real ticket, but the market’s a small‑world speakeasy. You might snag a $30,000 piece, but finding a buyer who’s ready to part with their savings and a machine that still throws a ball like a pro? That’s the real game of pinball poker.

Spot on—think of it like a classic arcade raffle: you’ve got the jackpot, but the line can be endless and the tickets sometimes get rescinded. Keep your margin tight, like a good old‑school slot’s payout, and always have a “plan B” in the back room—whether that’s a trade, a local collector’s club, or a museum exhibit. And remember, the real treasure isn’t just the price tag, it’s the story you hand off with that machine.