Play Meter

Issue: 1987 February - Vol 13 Num 2

There are
are good
good new
new pins
pins
There
being
made
now
garnering
being made now garnering
good income,
income, and
and the
the
good
resurgence in in terms
terms of
of
resurgence
collections
mean
older
collections mean older
games are
are rotated
rotated off
off the
the
games
route
and
available
for
route and available for
resale."
e."
resal
Neumann noted
noted that
that one
one
Neumann
Detroit
operator
bought
Detroit operator bought
20-30 of of a a particular
particular issue
issue
20-30
pin
and
as
a
result
there
pin and as a result there
were 20-30
20-30 used
used pins
pins
were
moved
off
his
route.
moved off his route.
He explained
explained that
that "you
"you
He
can
still
tell
the
kit
market
can still tell the kit market
exceptionally strong
strong by
by
is is exceptionally
the
high
resale
value,
the high resale value,
relative to to a a year
year ago,
ago, of
of
relative
quality
used
equipment
quality used equipment
made by
by Williams
Williams and
and Atari.
Atari.
made
Both
are
high
in
demand.
Both are high in demand.
Williams games, with only
Williams
games, with only
two exceptions,
exceptions, were
were
two
horizontal
and
converted
horizontal and converted
well to to World
World Series,
Selies, for
for
well
example.
A
tari
games
were
example. Atari games were
almost all
all vertical
vertical and
and those
those
almost
are
sought
out
for
vertical
are sought out for vertical
monitor kits.
kits.
monitor
"We
knew
when the
the
"We knew when
intendo
U
niSystem
really
Nintendo UniSystem really
started
to
take
off
because
started to take off because
we went
went from
from having
having 14
14
we
Donkey
Kong
games
in
an
Donkey Kong games in an
auction
to
two,
and
they
auction to two, and they
went from
from being
being $80
$80 or
or
went
$90
pieces
to
$200
pieces.
$90 pieces to $200 pieces.
The luster
luster is is coming
coming off
off
The
now
and
the
Donkey
Kong
now and the Donkey Kong
price
is
around
$120-$130."
price is around $120-$130."
Hanson's auctions
auctions feature
feature
Hanson's
all
types
of
equipment,
all types of equipment,
including video
video games,
games, pool
pool
including
tables,
pinball,
jukeboxes
tables, pinball, jukeboxes
and cigarette
cigarette machines;
machines;
and
occasionally
kiddie
rides,
occasionally kiddie rides,
and
shuffleboards.
bowlers
bowlers and shuffleboards.
"We've already
already had
had used
used
"We've
cranes,
too,"
said
Neumann.
cranes, too," said Neumann.
"Operators may
may have
have lost
lost a a
"Operators
location
and
want
to
sell
location and want to sell a a
crane, or
or have
have decided
decided go
go
crane,
with
one
particular
crane
with one particular crane
after trying
trying more
more than
than one
one
after
service to to the
the customers
customers
service
who
do
business
with us.
us. It It
who do business with
Pinballs are
are top
top sellers
sellers at at Hanson's
Hanson's auctions.
auctions.
Pinballs
power up,
up, we
we want
want him
him to
to
model. Operators
Operators like
like to to run
run power
model.
the same
same manufacturer's
manufacturer's
the
product and
and stock
stock parts
parts for
for
product
them. As
As new
new improvements
improvements
them.
are made
made in in cranes,
cranes, there
there
are
may
be
more
being
resold."
resold."
may be more being
TYPICAL
TYPICAL
AUCT I O N
AUCTION
O
O
auction days,
days,
n n auction
doors
open
9:30
doors open at at 9:30
a.m.
to
allow
an
a.m. to allow an
hour and
and a a half
half for
for product
product
hour
inspection
before
the
auction
inspection before the auction
begins
at
11
a.m.
"We
want
begins at 11 a.m. "We want
an
operator
to
be
able
an operator to be able to to
look at at the
the game
game and
and feel
feel
look
comfortable
when
he
buys,"
comfortable when he buys,"
said Neumann.
Neumann. "If
"If it it doesn't
doesn't
said
know that
that it it needs
needs work.
work.
know
Everything is is sold
sold as as is is and
and
Everything
where is."
is." Hanson's
Hanson's new
new
where
facility
a
better
display
area
facility a better display area
and
arrangement
for
and arrangement for
games--no narrow aisles or
games -- no narrow aisles or
crowded
conditions.
crowded conditions.
For
known
customers
For known customers
Hanson
accepts
company
Hanson accepts company
checks
for
equipment;
checks for equipment;
otherwise cashiers
cashiers checks,
checks,
otherwise
bank
money
orders
or
bank money orders or
greenback
American.
25
greenback American. A A 25
percent deposit is is required
required
deposit
percent
the day
day of
of the
the auction
auction with
with
the
the
balance
due
the
the balance due the
following Tuesday.
Tuesday. All
AU games
games
following
must
be
picked
up
the
next
must be picked up the next
day,
Wednesday.
day, Wednesday.
"Basically," said
said
"Basically,"
Neumann,
"the
auction is is a a
Neumann, "the auction
gives them
them a a chance
chance to to turn
tum
gives
older
games
into
cash
an'd
older games into cash and
space. Customers
Customers may
may apply
apply
space.
the
amount
received
from
the amount received from
the sale
sale of of games
games to to their
their
the
account."
account."
All games
games are
are brought
brought in in
All
on
consignment.
An
operator
on consignment. An operator
places
a
minimum
price
on
places a minimum price on
equipment,
then
receives
equipment, then receives a a
receipt with
with his
his name,
name, serial
serial
receipt
number
and
name
of
the
number and name of the
game plus
plus manufacturer's
manufacturer's
game
name.
Neumann
and the
the
name. Neumann and
operator
both
sign
this
operator both sign this
receipt. The
The operator
operator is is
receipt.
guaranteed
his
price and
and
guaranteed his price
any
amount
above
that
goes
any amount above that goes
to
Hanson.
to Hanson.
Neumann has
has yet
yet to to see
see
Neumann
a
pattern
or
track
in
the
a pattern or track in the
auctions--it
depends on
on the
the
auctions
-- it depends
crowd,
the
mood
and
crowd, the mood and
variables such
such as as weather
weather
variables
conditions.
Usually
120- 150
conditions. Usually 120-150
pieces
are
up
for
sale.
Any
pieces are up for sale. Any
equipment
that
does
not
get
equipment that does not get
bid
is
passed
and
held
a
a bid is passed and held
for the
the next
next auction
auction where
where
for
it
may
sell
for
$250.
it may sell for $250.
Often games
games brought
brought in in
Often
during
the
month
for
during the month for
auction
are
sold
before
the
auction are sold before the
event
to
other
operators
event to other operators
who bring
bring games
games in in for
for
who
service
or
stop
by
to
service or stop by to
purchase parts.
parts. On
On a a given
given
purchase
day
two
or
three
operators
day two or three operators
may do
do all
all of
of those
those
may
functions.
functions.
I MPULSE
IMPULSE
SA
LES
SALES
impulse item,"
item,"
t's t's an an impulse
explains Neumann,
Neumann, "or
"or an
an
explains
operator
is
looking
for
operator is looking for a a
game
that had
had a a very
very low
low
game that
production
run
during
the
production run during the
boom. He
He can
can put
put one
one on
on
boom.
his
route
and
get
four
his route and get four
weeks in in a a location,
location, move
move it it
weeks
February 1987/PLAY
1987 / PLAY METER
METER 9 9
February
five or
or six
six times,
times, make
make a a
five
good profit,
profit, bring
bring it it back
back
good
Doors open
open at
at 9:30
9:30 a.m.
a.m. for
for over
over an
an hour
hour of
of equipment
equipment inspection.
inspection.
Doors
SENTE
TE
SEN
and probably
probably sell
sell it it again
again
and
for
a
few
hundred
dollars.
for a few hundred dollars.
Also, he
he may
may walk
walk in in and
and
Also,
say,
'That's
the
game
Joe's
say, "That's the game Joe's
Bar asked
asked me
me about
about two
two
Bar
months
ago.
I
haven't
been
months ago. I haven't been
able
to
find
one.
Now
can
able to find one. Now I I can
have
one
that's
cheap,
give
have one that's cheap, give
to Joe
Joe and
and keep
keep him
him off
off
it it to
my
back."'
my back.""
Auctions were
were born
born of
of
Auctions
necessity.
According
to
necessity. According to
1 eumann, "In the post
Neumann,
"In the post
boom
operators were
were loaded
loaded
boom operators
with
tons
of
equipment
and
with tons of equipment and
no
distributors
were
taking
no distributors were taking
trade-ins because
because the
the resale
resale
trade-ins
value
was
dropping
like
value was dropping like a a
stone. That's
That's changed
changed now
now
stone.
in
that
distributors
will
pay
in that distributors will pay
cash
for
or
take
trade-ins
cash for or take trade-ins
on good,
good, late
late model
model
on
equipment.
equipment.
"However, Hanson
Hanson is is the
the
"However,
only
distributor
in
the
only distributor in the
country that
that would
would take
take 20
20
country
Asteroids,
or
five
As'feroids,
Asteroids, or five Asteroids,
five Space
Sp;1ce Invaders,
lnv;1ders, two
two
five
Moon
Crest;1's
and
a
couple
Moon Cresta's and a couple
of
Sp;1ce
Firebird~·
and
we
of Space Firebirds and we
could
sit
down
and
say,
could sit down and say,
'Well, in in the
the auction
auction you'll
you'll
"Well,
wind
up
with
$600-$700,
so
wind up with $600-$700, so
we'll
ball-park
it
and
let
we'll ball-park it and let
you take
take a a $600-$700
$600-$700 game
game
you
out
right
now
without
out right now without
paying for
for it,
it, even
even if if you
you
paying
don't
have
an
established
don't have an established
account with
with us,'
us,' because
because in
in
account
the
auction
we
know
we11
the auction we know we'll
get close
close to
to that.
that. In
In the
the
get
end
I
might
owe
you
$I 0
end I might owe you $10
or
you
might
owe
me
$50
or you might owe me $50
when
we
sell
the
equipment.
when we sell the equipment.
It's collateral.
collateral.
It's
"Some
of the
the games
games are
are
"Some of
so
old
they're
new.
I
have
so old they're new. I have
operators doing
doing $80
$80 a a week
week
operators
on
Asteroids
in
some
on Asteroids in some
locations. They
They put
put it it back
back
locations.
out
and
the
kids
that
are
out and the kids that are
playing
it
never
saw
it
playing it never saw it
before. To
To them
them it's
it's new."
new."
before.
Jeff Neumann
Neumann by
by Bally
Bally Sente's
Sente's Street
Street Football.
Football
Jeff
Neumann disagrees
disagrees with
with
Neumann
entertainment. When
When a a kid
kid
entertainment.
goes to
to an
an arcade
arcade he's
he's there
there
goes
to play
play the
the games,
games, there's
there's
to
coin-op. "Home
"Home video
video
about it,
it, but
but he's
he's
no doubt
doubt about
coin-op.
no
also there
introduces game
game playing
playing to
to
there to
to interact
interact socially
socially
introduces
also
youngsters at
at an
an early
early age,"
age," with
with his
his peer
peer group."
group."
youngsters
1 eumann has been in the
he commented.
commented.
Neumann
has been in the
he
think home
home video
video helps
helps
coin-op industry
industry for
for Il II years.
years.
"I " I think
coin-op
coin-op. It It makes
makes youngsters
youngsters His
His company,
company, Play
Play It It Again,
Again,
coin-op.
pre-disposed to
to playing
playing
auctions
that specialized
specialized in in auctions
that
pre-disposed
games. They
They won't
won't stay
stay
used equipment,
equipment, was
was
and used
games.
and
home
for
their
acquired
by
Hanson
in
home for their
acquired by Hanson in
those who
who feel
feel that
that the
the
those
home video
video market
market hurts
hurts
home
I 0 PLAY
PLAY METER/February
METER/ February 1987
1987
10
October, 1985.
1985. Prior
Prior to
to Play
Play
October,
It
Again
he
was
in
charge
It Again he was in charge
of three
three Michigan
Michigan branches
branches
of
of World
World Wide
Wide Distributors.
Distributors.
of
From the
the distributor
distributor
From
standpoint,
does
he have
have
standpoint, does he
any
predictions
for
the
rest
any predictions for the rest
of
1987?
"The
pin
market
of 1987? "The pin market
will continue
continue to
to be
be very
very
will
strong,"
he
immediately
strong," he immediately
replies. "And
"And manufacturers
manufacturers
replies.
will
continue
to
build
will continue to build
multiple
player
games,
multiple player games,
especially three-and
three-and
especially
four-player
games with
with
four-player games
buy-in
features
and
control
buy-in features and control
panels
that
are
much
more
panels that are much more
difficult
to
build
and
difficult to build and
knock-off. In
In terms
terms of
of the
the
knock-off.
kit
market,
system
kits
such
kit market, system kits such
as
those
by
Cinematronics,
as those by Cinematronics,
Sente and
and Nintendo
intenclo are
are good
good
Sente
investments
because
they
are
investments because they are
not
a
one-time
shot,
but
not a one-time shot, but
the purchase
purchase of
of something
something
the
that will
will have
have life
life down
clown the
the
that
road
two
or
three
years."
road two or three years."
Hanson's new
new
Hanson's
headquarters
are located
located at
at
headquarters are
24920
Gibson
Drive,
Warren,
24920 Gibson Drive, Warren,
Ml 48089,
48089, (313)
(3 13) 756-6500.
756-6500.
MI

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