Lots More Lots

Pinball News Website·article·analyzed·Jul 25, 2004

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.020

TL;DR

Second Pinball Paradise auction raises £91k from 400+ lots of games and equipment.

Summary

Report on the second and final auction of Pinball Paradise stock following the death of proprietor Robert Thomson in July 2004. The auction included over 400 lots spanning video games, pinball machines, and slot machines, raising £91,415 with notable sales including Monster Bash at £1,900 and various classic pinball and arcade games.

Key Claims

Second auction of Pinball Paradise stock held at company premises in Borden, Hampshire
high confidence · Direct statement in article opening
Over 400 lots included ~100 video games, ~250 pinball/pinball-related items, and ~50 slot machines
high confidence · Explicit breakdown provided in article
Monster Bash sold for £1,900, the highest pinball price of the day
high confidence · Detailed in closing analysis of auction results
Combined total from both auctions raised £128,055 for Robert Thomson's family
high confidence · Explicitly stated: £91,415 (auction 2) + £36,640 (auction 1)
None of the pinball games in the auction were powered for testing
high confidence · Stated in article description of auction procedures

Notable Quotes

“It was good to see the pleasant atmosphere of the first sale continuing. I didn't see anyone being awkward or unpleasant and there were no disputes about the bidding or the hammer prices.”
Article author @ Not specified — Describes positive community conduct at the auction event
“the biggest price of the day was the £1,900 Monster Bash which was not exactly unexpected, but even the Alvin G soccer game sneaked in with a last minute £950, and that was without the metal arch.”
Article author @ Not specified — Highlights notable high-price sales and market valuations

Entities

Robert ThomsonpersonPinball ParadisecompanyBorden, HampshirelocationMonster BashgameAlvin G & CocompanyWilliamscompany BallycompanyData EastcompanyGottliebcompanySterncompany

Signals

?
business_signal: Liquidation of established pinball parts and equipment supplier creates major inventory flush into secondary market
high · Two separate auctions with 400+ lots each, noted container of parts sold separately in car park
$
market_signal: Higher auction prices in second sale compared to first, attributed to better condition and word-of-mouth about bargains from prior auction
high · Quote: 'Immediately it was apparent that prices were going to be higher this time around. The games were in a better overall condition and news of the bargains at the last sale brought a bigger crowd'
$
market_signal: Significant secondary market activity for classic pinball machines; games ranging from £10-£1,900 with Monster Bash commanding premium pricing
high · Detailed auction price list showing wide range of valuations across different titles and conditions

Topics

Pinball machine auctions and liquidationprimaryVintage and classic pinball game valuationsprimaryVideo arcade machine marketsecondarySlot machine collecting and tradingsecondaryCommunity response to business closuresecondary

Sentiment

neutral(0.5)— Article maintains factual, respectful tone while covering a business liquidation following an owner's death. Mentions pleasant auction atmosphere and charitable outcome (proceeds to family), but underlying context is loss and closure.

Transcript

raw_text · $0.000

Story dated July 25, 2004 Last time we reported on the first auction to sell the Pinball Paradise stock following the sad and untimely death of its proprietor Robert Thomson. Today saw the second and final auction at the company's premises in Borden, Hampshire, UK. Last time there were plenty of parts for sale along with 400 lots of pinball games and playfields. In this auction, all the sales took place in the warehouse opposite the workshop. The workshop was closed to sellers and despite the expectation that the remaining parts would be boxed and sold as unlisted spares, no parts appeared in the auction at all. There was also no word about where they would end up. With many of the warehouse games already sold, there was much more room to display the remaining ones. It wasn't all pinball this time either. Of more than 400 lots, around 100 were video games, 250 were pinball or pinball related and 50 were slot machines. They were arranged over two floors, the lower floor having a mix of games with the upper floor split into video games on one side and pinballs on the other. Meanwhile, two containers of various parts from all types of games had been opened in the car park. These were for sale and gave those who couldn't stay for the whole auction the chance to snap up a deal or two. As before, none of the pinball games in the auction were powered, so buyers had to hope the games worked or bid accordingly. Several video games were set up and ready to play which provided some welcome relaxation and fun. Again, the auction began with a one minute of silence in Bob's honour and then the sales began. Immediately it was apparent that prices were going to be higher this time around. The games were in a better overall condition and news of the bargains at the last sale brought a bigger crowd of sellers hoping to repeat the deals. There were also video game and slot machine collectors to swell the numbers. It was good to see the pleasant atmosphere of the first sale continuing. I didn't see anyone being awkward or unpleasant and there were no disputes about the bidding or the hammer prices. The video games were sold first, followed by the pinballs with the slot machines bringing up the rear. The prices of all the lots are shown below in UK Pounds. There was a 10% buyer's premium added on top but no sales tax. To convert to US$, double the price shown. Blank lots have been removed and the game information comes from the auction catalogue. Lot No Game Name Price 500 Atari "Asteroids" 1979 £90 501 Yoick" Midway clowns conversion £80 502 Williams "Defender" 1980 £100 503 For-Play "Sport Center" £60 504 Konami "The Simpsons" £100 505 Atari "Skyraider" 1978 £300 506 Atari "Super Breakout" 1978 £60 507 Midway "Space Invaders" 1978 £240 508 Taito "Missile - X" 1977 £160 509 Taito "Sub-Hunter" 1977 £130 510 Midway "Gunfight" 1975 £40 511 Midway "Gunfight" 1975 £70 512 Williams "Defender" 1980 £300 513 Atari "Asteroids" 1979 £150 514 Caberet "Phoenix" 1981 £120 515 Atari "Video Pinball" 1978 £100 516 Atari "Galaga '88" 1988 £180 517 Taito "Space Invaders Part 2" 1980 £160 518 Taito "Space Invaders" 1978 £440 519 Taito "Space Invaders" 1978 £260 520 Midway "Deluxe Space Invaders" 1978 £160 521 Midway "Space Invaders" 1978 £220 522 Zenitone "Invaders Revenge" £90 523 Midway "Space Invaders" 1978 £140 524 Zaccaria "The Invaders" 1979 £120 525 Williams "Defender" 1980 £320 526 Midway "Gorf" caberet 1981 £240 527 Atari "Canyon Bomber" 1977 £80 528 Bally/Midway "Baby Pacman" 1982 £300 529 Bally/Midway "Granny and the Gators" 1983 £280 530 Williams "Defender" 1980 £330 531 Williams "Defender" 1980 £150 532 "Shuttle" conversion £50 533 Atari "Asteroids Deluxe" 1980 £320 534 Exidy "Crash" 1979 £100 535 Atari/Kee "Sprint One" 1978 £80 536 Universal "Cosmic Guerilla" 1979 £280 537 Atari/Kee "Super Bug" 1977 £80 538 Stern "Berzerk" 1980 £90 539 Sega "Outrun" 1986 £300 540 Atari "Pole Position II" 1983 £20 541 Atari "Asteroids" 1979 £100 542 Atari "Asteroids" 1979 £200 543 Gottlieb "Q*Bert" 1981 £140 544 Nintendo "Space Firebird" cocktail table 1980 £240 545 Streets "Defender" cocktail table 1980 £200 546 generic "Galaxian" cocktail table £200 547 "Super Earth Invasion" cocktail table £260 548 Taito "Lunar Rescue" cocktail table 1979 £440 549 Namco Golly Ghost 2 player video £180 550 Williams Joust £950 551 Atari Primal Rage two player video £100 552 Sega Virtual Striker £160 553 Sega Virtual On twin driver simulator £50 560 Sega Manx TT Superbikes twin ride on simulator £620 561 Sega Manx TT Superbikes twin ride on simulator £800 562 Sega Sky Target single flight simulator £660 563 Sega Touring Car single simulator £260 564 Sega Le Mans 24hr twin simulator £950 565 Sega Rally twin simulator £1250 566 Sega Touring Car twin simulator £750 567 Sega Touring Car twin simulator £800 568 Konami Dance Stage twin £4000 569 Namco Star Blade simulator £280 570 Sega Star Wars twin ride on simulator £420 571 Atari Space Pirate shooting simulator £180 572 MTV Drumscape drumming simulator £900 573 Mad Dog II shooter by American Laser Games £190 574 Kick It football simulator £220 575 Sega Magical Truck twin simulator £180 576 Namco Alpine Racer 2 skiing simulator £1300 577 Namco Alpine Racer 2 skiing simulator £800 578 Sega Jurassic Park twin ride on simulator £n/s 579 Sega Rail Chase II twin simulator £90 580 Sega Virtua Racing twin driver - no seats? £50 581 Sega Virtual On twin simulator - no boards £30 582 Sega Le Mans twin simulator £110 583 Namco Alpine Surfer snowboard simulator £900 584 Namco Alpine Surfer snowboard simulator £900 585 Namco Rapid River rafting simulator £1100 586 Sega Super G skiing simulator £420 587 Popeye Arm Wrestling machine £240 588 Namco Whap-a-Snappa £400 589 WMH Challenger Crane with swag actual machine featured in Big Brother £800 590 Love Meter £150 591 Electronic Darts £100 592 Glass topped football table £380 593 Football Table £300 594 Sega Virtua Racer twin driver £220 595 Sega Sprint One £10 601 Zaccaria Aerobatics £n/s 602 Gottlieb James Bond £110 603 Atari Middle Earth £110 604 Gottlieb Black Hole £400 605 Gottlieb Black Hole £360 606 Williams Black Knight £420 607 Gottlieb Slick Chick £360 608 Williams World Cup £200 609 Bally Electra £140 610 Bally Skateball £200 611 Bally Mata Hari £420 612 Bally Tic Tac Toe £320 613 Bally Vector £260 614 Bally Medusa £340 615 Bally Flash Gordon £240 616 Bally Mr & Mrs Pac Man £340 617 Williams Sorceror £380 618 Bally Kings of Steel £300 619 Stern Flight 2000 £220 620 Stern Dracula £200 621 Bally Spy Hunter £200 622 Stern Meteor £100 623 Stern Sea Witch £240 624 Bally Paragon £420 625 Bally Mystic £240 626 Williams Defender £1000 627 Williams Defender £520 628 Stern Lectronamo £160 629 Bally Centaur £340 630 Williams Diner £780 631 Data East Secret Service £360 632 Williams Bad Cats £460 633 Data East Playboy £380 634 Bally Hard Body £280 635 Sega Lost In Space £440 636 Bally Fireball Classic £280 637 Williams Blackout (no head) £100 638 Stern Freefall £220 639 Stern Iron Maiden £300 640 Williams Magic City £300 641 Williams Seven Up £220 642 Bally Strikes & Spares £200 643 Bally Fireball £360 644 Bally Speakeasy £240 645 Gottlieb Q'Berts Quest £260 646 Williams Fire Power £240 647 Stern Stingray £100 648 Bally Blackwater £260 649 Williams Pinbot £440 650 Bally Strange Science £380 651 Zaccaria Aerobatics £340 652 Bally Hot Doggin £240 653 Gottlieb ? £100 654 Williams Hotline £280 655 Williams Eight Ball £240 656 Bally Freedom £180 657 Stern Galaxy £280 658 Bally Gold Ball £340 659 Williams Hyper Ball £220 660 Stern Big Game £260 661 Williams Disco Fever £300 662 Bally Night Rider £260 663 Bally Cosmos £160 664 Williams Cosmic Gunfight £340 665 Williams Winner £360 666 Bally Evel Knievel £240 667 Bally Hoo £240 668 Bally Cosmos £200 669 Bally Discotek £220 670 Williams Champ £420 671 Bally Golden Gate (Bingo) £560 672 Bally Miss America (Bingo) £460 673 Bally Champion Pub £1000 674 Williams Monster Bash £1900 675 Data East Star Wars (ex corporate hire) £780 676 Pinball 2000 Revenge From Mars £1200 677 Pinball 2000 Star Wars Episode 1 £1500 678 Sega X Files £700 679 Data East Star Wars £560 701 Chicago Coin Festival - no head £15 702 Williams Casanova £170 703 Bally Playboy £240 704 Williams Alpine Club £60 705 Bally Playboy £320 706 Bally unknown £n/s 707 Williams Post Time £100 708 Recel Torpedo - empty head cabinet £20 709 Gottlieb Force II - no glass £20 710 Williams Jolly Roger £90 711 Bally Hoo - no head £20 712 Gottlieb Bowling Queen £140 713 Williams Honey £120 714 Williams Starpool - no head £n/s 715 Bally Par Golf £40 716 Bally Rolling Stones - no head £20 717 Williams Fun Fest £70 718 Bally Six Million Dollar Man - no glass £160 719 Williams Doodle Bug - no head £20 720 Williams Gold Rush £70 721 Williams Casanova £60 722 Williams empty cabinet - no head £20 723 Williams Jubilee £80 724 Williams Jive Time - no glass £10 725 Williams Post Time - no head £30 726 Williams Toledo £100 727 Williams Time Warp £60 728 Segasa Baby Doll £20 729 Nordamatic Champion £80 730 Playmatic UFO-X £20 731 Gottlieb Torch £20 732 Bally Odds and Evens - no glass £20 733 Stern Lectronamo £20 734 Zaccaria Ten Stars £10 735 Williams Flash £110 736 Williams Big Ben £20 737 Bally 50/50 £140 738 Gottlieb King Kool £60 739 Chicago Coin Action £70 740 Williams Barracora £90 741 Gottlieb Fashion Show - no head £40 742 Gottlieb Totem £20 743 Automatics Dig-A-Star - no glass £10 744 Stern Split Second £160 745 Williams Barracora - no head £20 746 Zaccaria Pinball Champ - no glass £30 747 Bally Eight Ball - no glass £110 748 Stern Lightning - no head £10 749 Bally Blue Chip Bingo £190 750 Williams Casanova £40 751 Bally Spectrum - no glass £100 752 Williams Heatwave £70 753 Bally Flip Flop - no glass £60 754 Data East Torpedo Alley - no glass £140 755 Bally On Beam £180 756 Stern Pin Ball - no glass £100 757 Bally Centaur - no head £110 758 Williams Derby Day £280 759 Bally Gator £320 760 Gottlieb Royal Gaurd £200 761 Stern Nine Ball £320 762 Williams Aztec £240 763 Zaccaria Supersonic £180 764 Williams Tri Zone £180 765 Stern Catacomb £220 766 Stern Big Game £n/s 767 Williams Black Knight - no glass £100 768 Williams Black Knight £170 769 Bally Six Million Dollar Man £220 770 Gottlieb Royal Gaurd £140 771 Stern Flight 2000 £180 772 Bally Mr & Mrs Pacman - no glass £220 773 Williams Starlight - no head £50 774 Zaccaria Wood's Queen £320 775 Recel Space Race £100 776 Bally Speak Easy 4 £320 777 Zaccaria Nautilas - no glass £90 778 Bally Star Jet £100 779 Williams Phoenix - no glass £80 780 Bally Space Time £280 781 Gottlieb Orbit £260 782 Williams Dipsy Doodle £120 783 Chicago Coin Super Star £80 784 Chicago Coin Cinema £220 785 Stern Meteor - no glass £100 786 Recel Lady Luck £120 787 Gottlieb Mars God of War - no glass £70 788 Stern Wild Fyre £80 789 Chicago Coin Blue Max £140 790 Stern Magic £240 791 Williams Strato-FLite £200 792 Chicago Coin Sky Rider £190 793 Bally Rolling Stones - no glass £100 794 Bally Nip-It £440 795 Bally Eight Ball Deluxe £400 796 Bally Six Million Dollar Man £280 797 Zaccaria Moon Flight £300 798 Stern Monaco £100 799 Bally Big Valley £220 800 Gottlieb High Hand £320 801 Gottlieb Soccer £300 802 Williams Apollo £320 803 Bally Grand Tour £340 804 Keeneys Venus Bingo £50 805 Bally Playboy £550 807 Stern Lightening - no glass £180 808 Bally Key West Bingo - head only £50 809 Bally Hawaii Bingo - head only £110 810 Bally Bingo - no glass £240 811 Bally Laguna Beach Bingo - head only £n/s 812 Midway Hotshot basketball £120 813 Star Battle Coctail Table Pinball £440 814 Sega Speed Basketball £280 815 Gottlieb Water World £440 816 Data East Time Machine £200 817 Bally Party Zone £480 818 Bally Safe Cracker £1075 819 Segasa Head Only for Gulf Stream £n/s 820 Stern Head Only for Cheetah £40 821 Williams Head Only for Fire Power £100 822 Bally Head Only for Camelot £20 823 Williams Head Only for Fan-Tas-Tic £20 824 Bally Head Only for Mini Zag £10 825 Williams Head Only for Big Daddy £20 826 Gottlieb Head Only for Sunset £60 827 Bally Head Only for 50/50 £20 828 Williams Head Only for Lazer Ball £50 829 Williams Head Only for Fun-Fest £30 830 Williams Head Only for Casanova £25 831 Bally Head Only for See Saw £20 832 Bally Head Only for Vector £55 833 Williams Head Only for Fan-Tas-Tic £20 834 Gottlieb Head Only for Flip A Card £30 835 Segasa Head Only for Travel Time £20 836 Williams Head Only for Gay 90's £20 837 Jive Time head only £25 838 Galaxy head only £40 839 Williams Head Only for Fun-Fest £15 840 Bally Head Only for Hootenanny £20 841 Bally Head Only for Kiss £75 842 Alvin G & Co Playfield only for Soccer Ball £20 843 Alvin G & Co Playfield only for Soccer Ball £50 844 Bally Playfield only for Freedom £10 845 Gottlieb Playfield only for Sinbad £25 846 Bally Playfield only for Beat The Clock £25 847 Bally Playfield only for Night Rider £15 848 Gottlieb Playfield only for Slick Chick £35 849 Williams Playfield only for Alien Poker £25 850 Williams Playfield only for Tri-Zone £15 851 Bally Playfield only for Camelot £10 852 Williams Playfield only for Stop & Go £20 853 Bally Playfield only for Freedom £10 854 Bally Playfield only for Escape from Lostworld £20 855 Bally Playfield only for Power Play £40 856 Zaccaria Playfield only for Pool Theme £15 857 Bally Playfield only for Odds & Evens £15 858 Gottlieb Playfield only for Spin to Win £20 859 Williams Playfield only for Fun Fest £10 860 Stern Playfield only for Quick Silver £15 861 Stern Playfield only for Meteor £15 862 Stern Playfield only for ? £10 863 Williams Playfield only for Lightning £15 864 Playfield only for Bank-a-ball and Flying Carpet £15 865 Pachinko Machine £220 866 Bingo Machine £180 867 Hoop-la Stall £60 868 Seaside Photo Frame £40 869 Coconut Shy £50 870 Sega Gun Fight £460 901 Bell Fruit Chance A Nudge £60 902 Bell Fruit Ten Up £70 903 JPM Super Chance £n/s 904 Bell Fruit Chance A Nudge £n/s 905 Bell Fruit kickback £n/s 906 Bell Fruit Nudge Gambler £n/s 907 Bally Monte Carlo £20 908 Brenco Copper Prince £50 909 Cromptons Cromputer Win £120 910 Cromptons Penny Fruits £220 911 Cromptons Tooty Fruity £110 912 Win Free £50 913 Bell Fruit Each Way Treble Deluxe £25 914 Alpine Club £20 915 Brenco Silver Chest £25 916 JPM The Foursome Deluxe £20 917 Cromptons Tooty Fruity £220 918 Bally Mustang £360 919 Bally Super-Line £540 920 Bally Super-Line £300 921 Bally Super-Line £360 922 Bally Add-A-Line £280 923 Bally Las Vegas £320 924 Bally Las Vegas £320 925 Bally Mustang £520 926 Bally Circus £520 927 Bally Big Five £300 928 Bally Safari £90 929 Bally Las Vegas £90 930 Bally Stars'N'Stripes £120 931 Bally Lucky Twins £50 932 Bally Circus £300 933 Bally Circus £130 934 Bally Safari £50 935 Bally Add-A-Line £120 936 Bally Deluxe Progressive £140 937 Bally Super-Line £90 938 Bally Gold Rush £130 939 Bally Gold Bars £100 940 Bally Vegas £130 941 Bally one arm bandit £130 942 Bally one arm bandit £90 943 Bally Gold Award £130 944 Keep On Running £30 945 Coinmaster Super Nudger £25 946 Bell Fruit Upstairs 'n' Downstairs £20 947 RS Coin Monopoly £40 948 Rocket Game £120 949 Chicago Coin Rodeo Shooter £360 950 Chicago Coin Speedway driving game £30 951 Brenners Human Analyst fortune teller £n/s 952 Williams Phantom Shooter £170 953 Whittakers Super Roulette £50 954 Whittakers Super Roulette (for spares / repair) £25 955 Mini Soccer £160 956 Alvin G & Co. A.G. Soccerball £950 957 Whittakers Royal Ascot horse racing machine £320 958 Nova Shocker electric chair £1000 959 Jaques Air Hockey table £160 960 Cromptons Star Soccer £300 961 Dynamo Hockey Table £260 962 Air Hockey £90 963 Midway Twin Pirates Gun £360 964 Astralite lighting trussing and light fittings £550 From that list you can see that there were some big ticket items - the Dance Stage Twin reached £4,000 and a Joust managed just shy of £1,000 - and plenty of £20 deals too. On the pinball side, the biggest price of the day was the £1,900 Monster Bash which was not exactly unexpected, but even the Alvin G soccer game sneaked in with a last minute £950, and that was without the metal arch. The total raised in this auction was £91,415, which when added to the previous auction's £36,640 gives a grand total raised for Bob's family of £128,055. To that can be added the proceeds from the parts sales. Although, obviously, nothing can replace him, we hope the money goes some way to providing a safer, more secure future for them. Back to the news index Back to the front page