Arcade Auctions: Useful Information
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By Mario D'Alessio (dalessio@motorola.com)
Version 3.8 - Last Updated April 27, 2001
NOTE: The information presented here was gathered from attending
arcade auctions in the Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN areas. These
auctions were run by US Amusements and Super Auctions. This info
may not apply to auctions at other locations or those run by other
auction companies.
* You do not need to register before the auction for permission to
attend the event. Just show up. There is no cost to attend.
* At most arcade auctions, you'll find more than just video games
and pinball machines. You can find all kinds of redemption equipment
(money-making items such as kiddie rides, claw machines, etc.),
coin-operated pool tables, dart machines, air hockey games, jukebox
machines, popcorn makers, soda machines, parts (locks, marquees,
circuit boards, controllers, buttons, etc.), and anything else
sellers want to sell. Items I have seen auctioned include slot racers
and 12' racing tracks, condom machines, boom boxes, golf clubs, and
pay telephones. The items you'll see the most of are video games,
pinball machines, and jukeboxes.
In some states, slot machines can be auctioned. You will need to
check your state's laws to find out if they can be purchased. In
Illinois, slot machines have been auctioned, but these were japanese
machines in which the player must hit a button for each slot wheel
to stop them. As such, the machines are a game of skill rather than
chance and are therefore not illegal. However, in many states it
is illegal to transport ANY type of slot machine. Do your homework
or buy at your own risk.
* You will usually find a mix of older games and newer games. Prices
vary greatly. If you want to get a general idea of prices, browse
the web for results of past auctions. However, the chances that
they will be the same at the next auction are minimal. I've seen
two machines (same game, similar condition) differ by over $100 at
the same auction. Anything goes. In general, older games cost less
except for the classics which are highly desirable. Videogames with
25" monitors usually tend to be higher priced. Large sit-down games
such as racing games tend to be very high priced (relative to other
items), but may still be a bargain. Also, as the auction progresses,
the crowd thins out and the auctioneer gets tired, resulting is
shorter bid cycles and lower prices. But again, anything goes.
* Besides money, the most important (and often neglected) item
to bring to the auction is proper transportation for hauling your
purchased items. Make sure you have a vehicle which can handle the
items you are planning on buying. Always try to account for more
room than you think you really need; not only for a safety margin,
but also for those unexpected deals that pop up. Be sure to bring a
tape measure and make sure you measure your vehicle's dimensions. You
don't want to purchase a game only to find out later that it won't
fit in your vehicle. Games usually have to be out of the place by
a certain time the same day, and then you'll be stuck. Be sure to
check out every game you are interested in purchasing during the
preview period (see below for more info on preview periods).
If renting a vehicle, be sure to check out cost and conditions for
milage, out-of-state transport, one-way use, etc. (This section
may be expanded as more info is gathered)
* At many auctions, some operators will offer to transport games in
the general vicinity of the auction for a fee. The auction company
often makes an announcement before the start of the auction to
notify people of anyone offering this service. If you decide to
go this route, be sure to get all details ahead of time (cost,
insurance, what if they break an item, etc.). The auction company
has no part to play in this; they just announce the names of those
offering this service. Use at your own risk.
* Always try to attend with at least one other person so that they
can help you move your purchased items. The items may be big and
difficult for one person to move. Bring a dolly, and make sure it's
strong enough to handle the weight of the machines.
Videogames are very top-heavy and tip easily. If you are moving
one with a dolly, be sure to keep it level unless you have someone
holding it upright. Let's stress this again: VIDEOGAMES TIP EASILY!
Pinball machines are difficult to move. You most likely will not be
able to use a dolly with them. If you're lucky, you may be able to
borrow a pinball machine mover; otherwise, you'll end up carrying it
to your vehicle, and they are HEAVY! Did I mention bringing a friend?
* Be prepared to spend a lot of time at the auction. If you are
waiting to bid on a certain machine, it could take hours for
the auctioneer to reach it (and you may have to sit through the
auctioning of all that redemption stuff mentioned above).
* Bring something to eat and drink. They may not have food there,
and then you'll have to leave to get something and possibly miss an
item you want. If food is sold, the quality of the food is usually
not very good. The auction could last most of the day, plus you'll
spend time loading your games. So, you may want to bring two meals
and a cooler for drinks.
* You must register to bid. This is done at the event. Make sure
you do this as early as possible so you don't miss anything you'd
want. The lines can be long. You'll need to either put down a huge
money deposit, or leave them your driver's license. If you travel
with someone, have the person not driving leave the license and
share the bidding number. This is most important if you have a
rental vehicle and only one person can drive it.
* Ask about the payment options. Checks are not accepted. It's
either cash or credit card, and there's an extra fee for paying
with a credit card.
* There is a preview period before the start of the auction during
which time you can power up the games and try them out. Most previews
start at 8am and end when the auction starts. Most auctions are
scheduled to start at 10am, but they almost always start late. Also,
games are often still brought in during the preview period, so don't
be too discouraged if there are not too many games when you arrive
at 8am.
Be sure to check the auction company's schedule for exact times
and dates. Some web sites are listed below.
* Bring a very long extension cord to try out the games during
the preview period. The places are usually very big, and outlets
are often only located on the outer walls of the building. Bring a
powerstrip or a multi-tap so that you can plug in multiple games or
share an outlet with others (there are usually only a few outlets). I
also recommend putting your name on everything.
* Bring pen and paper to jot notes. There may be a number of
a particular game and you want to know which worked and which
didn't. All items being auctioned are numbered, which helps in
tracking the items. Sometimes the auctioneer will print a list of
all items, so find out if one's available and get a copy. This is
also useful for tracking selling prices.
* Things to do when you preview a game:
* Check out the cosmetic condition of the item
* Check the operational condition: buttons and controls work,
monitor and picture quality, LED lights on pinball scores, etc.
* Open the coin doors (if not locked) and take a good look inside. A
flashlight is useful for looking around. Check for existance of
all necessary parts, manuals, coins, dead mice, water damage, etc.
* Power up the machine. For video games, look for toggle switches
on top, in back, or on the lower sides of the machines. For pinball
games, look underneath or on top of the back portion of the game,
or on the lower right side for some older machines. Rarely are
power switches inside the coin doors.
* If a game powers up, play the game. To do this, you'll have to
coin up (credit) the machine. If the coin doors are not locked,
look inside for a credit switch. Otherwise, you can trigger a
credit by triggering the coin detecting mechanism. It's difficult
to explain here in text, so if you don't know how to do this, ask
around. Someone should be able to help. You'll also find out if
the coin mechanisms work at all. If you care about the coin mechs,
try triggering them by inserting a quarter (which you'll be able
to take back if the coin doors are open).
* You are usually asked not to open the backs of video games. Even
if you are not asked, it's best to avoid doing this! It's too easy
for the back panel to fall and break the neck of the monitor. With
many people moving around the games, mistakes will happen. Also,
you may be mistaken for sabotaging the machine and be kicked out
of the auction (it's happened). Once you purchase a game, then
you can do whatever you want with it.
* Many 3+ player videogames have oversized control panels
which are wider than the body of the game. These can usually be
removed for easier transport, and for fitting the game through
your door. Make sure you check for this unless you have plenty
of room in your vehicle, and the game's destination has a large
enough entranceway. If you disconnect the panel, be sure to mark
the connectors for easy reassembly.
* Many games are conversions. A conversion came from the factory
as one game, and was later converted into another game by an
operator. If you are interested in originals only, make sure you
check if the game is a conversion. For example, a Mortal Kombat may
have been created from a Centipede cabinet (oh, the pain!). Some
games look like nothing more than a combination of spare parts. Go
to the KLOV site (see below) for info on video games and pics of
originals. Also be aware that if a game is a conversion, it may be a
different size than you first thought. So don't forget to measure it.
* For pinball machines, make sure you check if the back of the
machine folds down or disconnects (not all do, or are troublesome
to disconnect). Otherwise, you may have a tough time fitting the
machine in your vehicle (if the back doesn't come down, it may not
even fit into a full-sized van). On most pinballs, the legs can
be removed for easier transport. Bring tools to undo any bolts
(wrench, screwdrivers, etc.)
* Check the condition of the plastics on pinball machine playfields,
especially the ramps. Broken parts can be very expensive to
replace. If the game has an LED dot matrix display, be sure to
check this as these are very expensive as well.
* When transporting a pinball machine, it's probably best to not
remove the backglass (the glass with the artwork which faces you and
has the scores) or topglass (the glass covering the playfield). It's
too easy to drop them. If you do remove either, avoid placing them
flat on a hard surface; stand them up. If they break, they usually
shatter into a million pieces.
If the back of the machine folds down onto the body of the pinball
machine, place cardboard or a blanket within the fold to keep the
parts from touching, and to cushion them.
I am not too experienced with moving pinball machines, so make sure
you ask an experienced person about this before doing anything.
I have seen a person drop a backglass on the floor at an auction,
and they can be extremely difficult to replace as parts are no
longer being made. As with everything, be careful!
* For dart machines, power up the machine and start a game. Hit
dartboard segments to see if they register. Some may be dead, or
the whole dartboard may be dead. Some don't play cricket (a very
popular dart game), so check this if you want it.
Most dart machines can be separated into two pieces (top and bottom).
Check for this. If you end up disassembling a dart machine, be very
careful when doing this as the top can easily tip off and crash
to the floor. Also note all connections so it will be easier to
reconnect later.
* For jukeboxes, check if it plays records (45s) or CDs. Check if
the 45s or CDs are included. Often, boxes of records or CDs are
auctioned separately. Since 45s are no longer made, the jukeboxes
that play them tend to be cheaper, but the 45s themselves tend to
be more expensive and tougher to find.
* Games are sold "as is". Period!
* If a game does not power up, the auction company may get it working
during the auction. Someone often works ahead of the auctioneer
to power up the games, and they sometimes get non-working games
running again. This could be a good thing (you wanted a working game)
or a bad thing (you were hoping to get the game cheap).
* A game is considered working "all the way" if it powers up, and
video games show a picture (even a horrible picture, as most bad
pictures can be corrected with monitor adjustments or cheap fixes).
* Observe the auction numbers on items. If there is a single number
for a group of items, they will most likely be auctioned for one bid
(but the auctioneer can change the rules, see below).
* When the preview period ends, you are asked not to power up or
open anything. Be courteous to everyone and obey this. Be especially
courteous to winning bidders and don't play with games they won.
* During the auction, the auctioneer and the mass of people will
move from game to game. This gets uncomfortable with a hugh crowd,
and tiring. If you are interested in a particular game, you may
want to move ahead of the crowd and stand near the game so you're
close up when it's auctioned and you can hear what the auctioneer
is saying (the quality of their PA systems is often poor, and the
large rooms have a lot of echo).
* LISTEN CAREFULLY to the auctioneer during the auction. They may
set up some bidding rules on particular items.
* Often when there are more than one of a particular item in similar
condition, the auctioneer will have people bid on the items, but
give the winning bidder a CHOICE of the one or more of the items,
EACH at the cost of the winning bid.
BE CAREFUL as I've seen people think they are getting all of the
items for the winning price, and they bid too high.
Whatever isn't chosen is auctioned again.
If you stop bidding because the bid price gets too high for you,
hoping to get the next one at a lower cost, you may lose any
chance of getting any of the items if the winner grabs all of the
items. I've seen operators win a bid, and then take every one of
the items. If you really want one of the items, you may have to
be the high bidder the first time; and if you don't take them all,
the next bidder may get the items for a lot less. It's a gamble.
Example: if there are 4 boxes of CDs, and the winning bid is $50,
the winner may pick one of the boxes for the $50, or choose any 2
for a total of $100, or all for $200.
* Another thing to listen for is the condition of the game as
described by the auctioneer (especially useful if you missed
it during the preview period, or missed the preview period
entirely). I've seen a lady bid high for a Ms. Pac-Man, but she
never heard the auctioneer say that it has no monitor or game board,
and she couldn't see it due to the crowd of people.
* One thing to accept with a grain of salt (i.e. don't believe)
is when an auctioneer says that a game is rare. The word "rare"
is so often misused, it's become meaningless. Yes, some items they
say are rare are truly rare, but most often not. Just use your own
judgement and guidelines.
* The bidding usually goes like this: The auctioneer asks for a
starting price (an "opening bid"). If nobody accepts this bid, he
will lower the opening bid until someone accepts his offer. Once the
offer is accepted, the auctioneer will ask for the next incremental
bid. As the price rises past the limits of the various bidders
(going, going, gone), the bidders stop bidding. The last person to
make a bid (i.e. the one willing to pay the most for the item in
question) "wins" the bid and gets the item. Bidding then proceeds
to the next item.
The bid increments vary depending on the average cost of the
items. For most games, the increments are usually $25, and may
be $12.50 when things get heated. Listen to the auctioneer at the
start of the auction. You'll look like a fool if you bid $301 when
the price is currently $300.
* Many times the owner of an item will bid on his/her own item in
an attempt to reach a higher price. Sometimes the owner will buy
back their own items (this is called a "buyback"). After a while
you can learn to spot these people, and if you notice that they are
the only ones bidding against you, don't get caught up in "auction
fever" and end up spending more than you really wanted. Buyer beware.
* The auctioneer gets a percentage of the selling price, and this
is not included in the "sold" price. So, if the auctioneer gets 10%
(the usual), and you win the bid at $100, you'll really have to
pay $110 for the item.
It's cheaper to pay cash. There's a fee for paying with credit card,
and it's usually about 5%. As with the auctioneer's take, this is
NOT included in the "sold" price. Cash is best, so bring lots of it!
Sales tax will be applied to any items purchased. And no, this is not
included in the selling price. If you are attending an auction in a
different state than your home, be sure to ask the auction company
for the local state tax percentage. It's best to bring a calculator.
Always check with the auction company for full details.
* After winning an item, you can pay for it and haul it away at
any time during the auction. The most you will have to wait is for
the auctioneers to get the selling information input into their
computer systems. So, maybe give them at least a half-hour before
you wait in line to pay.
* Purchased items have to be out of the building by a certain
time. Make sure you ask for this time. When bidding, be sure to
keep this in mind so that you give yourself enough time to get your
items out. There may be only one large exit, and other people's
vehicles may be pulled up to it, meaning that you have to wait your
turn to get out. Don't be caught short on time. As noted above,
bring a friend to help.
* Bring items to secure any games in your vehicle (rope, tie downs,
etc.) If your vehicle is uncovered, bring enough tarps to protect
your games from the weather.
When loading videogames and pinball machines on an uncovered vehicle,
be sure to not face the front of the machines forward. The pressure
of the wind when moving at highway speeds may break the glass.
Make sure the items are loaded and secured so that they will not
move at all during transport. Otherwise they will get banged up or
broken when you accelerate and brake the vehicle.
* For your benefit and the benefit of other collectors out there,
it's very helpful to take pictures and keep track of prices and
then post this information on the Internet. Digital cameras are
especially useful for this. If you meet other collectors at the
auction, divide up the task.
* Anyone can bring items to the auction to sell. If you have items
you wish to auction, contact the auction company for details.
* Don't forget your money (preferably cash) and proper
transportation! See the end of this document for a list of items
to bring.
Most arcade auctions are run by US Amusements or Super
Auctions. Their web sites are:
http://www.usamusements.comhttp://www.superauctions.comInformation on most arcade games can be found at the Killer List
of Video Games (KLOV). It's web site is:
http://www.klov.comThe official FAQ for buying at an auction can be found here:
http://www.spies.com/arcade/info/index.htmlMost video games manufactured since the late 80s (I think) are JAMMA
games. The JAMMA association defined a standard for the pinouts of
a game's game board which connect to the game controllers, monitor,
coin mechs, and power supplies. Because of this, JAMMA boards
are interchangable. You can switch games simply by plugging in a
different board, as long as your control panel has the necessary
controller items (e.g. if you control panel has 1 joystick and
3 buttons per player, you won't be able to play Mortal Kombat
since that requires 5 buttons per player), and the monitor is the
correct orientation (horizontal vs. vertical). The KLOV indicates
JAMMA games.
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Here's a list of items to bring to an arcade auction.
Pick and choose as needed.
* Money (cash is best)
* Proper transportation
* Toll money
* Driving directions to auction location
* Road map
* Long (e.g. 100') extension cord
* Multi-tap or powerstrip
* Portable chair (often there isn't anywhere to sit)
* Tape measure
* Calculator (hmmm, $125 + 10% + 3% + 8% .....)
* Flashlight
* Tools (phillips & spade screwdrivers, socket set, pliers, etc.)
* Pen
* Paper
* Clipboard
* Fine point permanent marker (to mark items during disassembly)
* Tarps
* Moving blankets
* Duct tape
* Long rope
* Knife
* Tie downs/Bungee cords
* Dolly and straps
* Cellulin wrap
* Lunch / pop / water
* List of games indicating which are JAMMA
* Walkie-talkies and extra batteries (to keep in touch with others
if it's a big place, or if traveling in multiple vehicles)
* Handi-wipes (bathrooms don't always have soap)
* Camera (to take pics for posting on the internet)
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