How to Value a Vintage Pachinko Machine:
When pachinko parlors decommissioned the machines after about a year of use, they were sold cheap to make room for newer models. Servicemen and businessmen started to bring them back in the late 1940’s. There were hundreds of thousands of pachinko machines imported in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and sold by Sears, Montgomery Wards, Target Abroad, Woolwort, Pachinko Palace, Spiegal, Pachinko Imports, The Pachinko Factory, Sutra Import, K-Mart, Meshulam’s, Pier 1 Imports, Osco and others. The newer pachinko machines are still imported today. They are sold around the country and online.
When video games became popular or when enough of the balls were lost to make the game unplayable, the pachinko machines were put into storage and forgotten. On any given day, there are about 300 to 400 for sale on Craigslist/eBay and other sites in the US so they typically aren’t rare. Generally, most are valued about $20 to $100 and some of the rarer or more desirable ones can go for over $1,000.00. The key words here are “rare:” and/or “desirable.” The price all depends on many factors that can influence how much you can get if you want to sell your pachinko machine, or how much you should pay if you are looking to purchase a pachinko machine.
I would like to say when pricing a pachinko machine to sell, or budgeting while planning to buy one, remember the 4 C’s: Condition, Completeness, Cleanliness and Commonality. People don’t pay for sentimental value, and a machine is only worth what someone will pay for it, and sometimes it is best to just walk away. Here are some other websites that talk about the value of pachinko machines.
Pachinko (パチンコ) is a type of mechanical game originating in Japan and is used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device, filling a Japanese gambling niche comparable to that of the slot machine in Western gambling. Pachinko parlors are widespread in Japan and usually also feature a number of slot machines (called pachislo or pachislots. Play Pachinko Online Game. Pearl Pachinko Online is slightly similar to regular pinball. This is the version of the game that is immensely popular in Japan. But in recent times Pachinko has been accepted in several other countries.
Age of a Pachinko Machine
Date them is not easy, there are a few other websites out there to help find the age of vintage pachinko machines, this is the information we have.
Machines manufactured in the 1940’s are rare and very hard to find.
Machines manufactured in the 1950’s are not as rare but are still hard to find.
Machines manufactured in the early 1960’s are not as common and can be found with a little effort.
Machines manufactured in the late 1960’s are common and can be easily found.
Machines manufactured in the early 1970’s are very common and can be found in a lot of places.
Machines manufactured in the mid-1970’s are the most common and can be found everywhere.
Machines manufactured in the late 1970’s are common and can also be found in a lot of places.
year of manufacture on pachinko machines
About 90% of vintage pachinko machines are from the 1970s. About 8% are from the 1960s and the rest are from the 1950s or earlier. Percentages are approximate based on our research, eBay auctions and Craigslist postings. Vintage pachinko machines were not stamped with a year of manufacture. There are several ways you can estimate the age of your pachinko machine.
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Vintage Pachinko to Modern pachinko machines
1980 is the year that most consider the cross over point from Vintage to modern pachinko, this is when most pachinkos went from a flipper lever to shoot the balls to a control knob for firing the balls on the the playing field.
More electronics, lights, motors and sounds are used on the machines, as well as video screens. Makes for more exciting play and higher payouts.
These machines that are produce now are more video game then the mechanical machine they started as.
Draw backs on modern Pachinkos
Nishijin Pachinko Machines For Sale
They require electricity and more care in storage of the machine. More balls are needed for continuous play, also a higher level of maintenance is needed for the machine to continually work properly.
It is hard to find somebody to work on them as there is no technical information or parts available. This makes the resell value low, when a break down happens most likely they are only good for part to repair other machines.
Playing Field Features
Most machines have a main attraction and one or more tulips, as well as pay pockets and spinners. The different combinations of these can set the value of the machine: Does the main attraction have a theme, move and/or light up? Also, how many tulips will open as a ball passes through it? The more a main attraction does, the more desirable it is. How many tulips and/or pay pockets are there and what do they do? Some pay pockets will open tulips, but most will just give you a jackpot. Tulips, however, will open and close as balls enter them, they may also open other tulips. Are there side pockets on the playing field that open and close? There are also unique machines: these are machines that are uncommon, such as two main attractions or no main attraction, some will have 9 or 10 tulips on the playing field, other may have 10 or more pay pockets on the playing field. Also, there are machines with a power shooter knob and a flipper, and there are electric-mechanical vintage machines that came with motors, solenoids and simple circuit boards. Some machines came with extra playing fields so you can replace the playing field, these are called Exchanger. The more unique the machines are, the more desirable they are to collectors.
Condition of the machine
Is the machine clean or dirty? This has a lot to do with where it was stored. Machines stored in a closet are cleaner than the machines stored in an attic, shed or barn where insects and rodents made it their home. You may get less for a dirty machine because cleaning it takes a lot of time, and a dirty machines sometimes means the mechanical parts and levers may stick and not move property, or balls may not flow smoothly through the machine. Is the chrome on the front nice and shiny, or rusty? Rust on the front of the machines isn’t attractive and rust or corrosion on the metal mechanical parts of the machine can cause the machine to not always function property. Too much rust or damage and it is a parts machine.
Is it operational, can put balls in it and start playing, not that it was working 25 years ago before it was put in the barn for storage! Workability is a key factor in the price of the machine, as most buyers don’t want to buy something to work on. Nonworking machines can be fixed if you know what you are doing. More severe damage nonworking machines are considered “parts machines.” Buyers may buy these just for the parts to get another machine working. Parts machines are only worth what can be salvaged off of them, and a nonworking, high end machine with a lot of usable parts can bring more than a low end common working machine.
It’s called what? That’s right guys, Pachinko. And it’s as much fun to play as it is to say. This game is a big hit in Japan, where it originated. Gambling is more tightly regulated there, causing this gem of a game to be less known that a lot of others.
With the boom in people choosing to play in online casinos, lesser known games have emerged. Games like Pachinko have transitioned from rundown back-alley casinos to the high-quality online versions you can find today. Read on to find out how to play, where you can find this game, and why I can’t stop playing it!
What is Pachinko?
Pachinko is a mix of pinball and slot machines. The game starts with a pinball aspect. You purchase some balls at a set price each. From there, you release your balls into the play area. They will bounce around off obstacles and bumpers until they disappear.
As the balls fall into certain buckets, you will win more balls. If a ball falls into an upper or middle-level bucket, the slot machine aspect of the game is initiated. If you match three symbols on the slot reels, you win more balls.
The balls are your currency since each ball is worth a specific value. This can vary between games, just as there are slot machines in which a credit is worth a penny, a quarter or more — same principal here with your pachinko balls.
After you have completed your round of pachinko, you can then choose to play another round with the balls that you won, or cash out. If all your balls are lost without winning anymore, your game is over.
Where Can You Play Online Pachinko?
Playing Pachinko in person can be quite challenging. I am aware of one Pachinko Parlor in the United States in Wilmington, NC (however gambling laws restrict the payouts to prizes, rather than cash). For most of us, that’s not going to be an easy option. Since Pachinko originated in Japan and has yet to gain much popularity outside of that area, you aren’t likely to be able to play this game live and in person.
Luckily many casino sites now offer online Pachinko as an option to play. As always, make sure you are gaming with a reputable casino, with proper licensing. Look for one that has good customer service options, as well as deposit and withdrawal options that fit your needs.
Can You Increase Your Odds of Winning?
Much like slot machines, online Pachinko is a game of chance, not skill. There is very little you can do to improve your odds of winning. Notice I said very little, not nothing? That’s because, with the pinball aspect, you can have a little bit of control over your outcome.
If any of you have ever played a round of pinball, you know that the force you use to shoot the ball into the game field can have an impact on your results. This principle is the same with Pachinko. Even in online options, you can choose the force or speed with which the balls are released. Playing around with varying speeds might give you a slight edge in your odds of landing a ball into a winning bucket.
As far as slot machine statistics go, the house advantage of online Pachinko isn’t terrible (4.38% House Advantage). The casino house edge among slot machines tends to range between 3% to 20%. Online Pachinko falls very close to the low end of that spectrum.
Keep in mind that this is still a relatively high house advantage. If you compare Pachinko odds against Blackjack, you will find Pachinko is considered a much more statistically undesirable bet. With proper strategy, house advantage in Blackjack is around 0.5%.
If you can master the best force needed to release the balls into the field with optimal results, you might be able to lower the house advantage slightly. However, there is always the slot element in the end. You could be able to get more slot opportunities, but in the end, your results are simply a matter of luck.
Why You Need to Try Online Pachinko Today
Let’s just be honest; gambling is a losing venture in the long run for most people. There is always the chance to strike it rich with any game, and this is the same with online Pachinko. What draws me to Pachinko is simply how fun it is to play.
I think there is an entertainment value to be placed on which games you choose to gamble on. How you choose to gamble is a matter of personal preference. I choose a game that I have a blast playing, as opposed to one that I find boring. If I lose a few extra cents on the dollar, I’m okay with that.
For me, the pinball aspect of the game gives me a sense of nostalgia and adds something extra to an otherwise simple slot machine game. Whether there is any sort of advantage to be gained by controlling your ball release speed is somewhat inconclusive. It does, however, add a sense of control over your money.
Free Pachinko Game Online
The other aspect that drew me to online Pachinko is simply that it’s something different. I feel like I’ve played everything online casinos offer sometimes. This game is one that many haven’t heard of and can create a little change within your gambling routine.
Putting it All Together
If you’ve never played online Pachinko, it’s a must try. Between the reasonable house odds, easy to follow rules of gameplay and fun to be had, it could quickly become one of your favorite online casino games. With an increase in popularity, we might even see this game on the casino floors in the future.
If you’d like to try it (which I recommend), check it out at some of the top online casinos today!