Page 11 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #6

backglass artwork were... well... accentuated in all The next game is a fully restored original Ms. Pac- able. If you just spent nine hours yelling at a
the right places. I couldn't help but chuckle when I Man. This thing looks perfect. Brand new cabinet art, crowd, and infusing excitement into bidders,
thought of the TV moms of that era... June Cleaver, vibrant marquee, clear and sharp picture on the moni- you would be drained too.
Donna Stone, Harriet Nelson, and how offended tor; I wouldn't mind having it, except for the lack of I shuffle to the last of the items at the front
they would've been had any of their TV children space thing, and it will go for much more than I can table. Boxes stuffed with motherboards of
been caught playing with such a risqué machine! afford to pay. The bidding starts at $500, and quickly games past. Pac -Man, Vindicators, Super
"Well, I NEVER!!!!" shoots up to the $900 mark. The excitement begins Mario Bros., Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam. A group
10 am. We take our seats. Everybody shuffles to to noticably die down, as people are dropping out of of two Mortal Kombat 2 kits, one Mortal Kombat
get a good view. The head auctioneer addresses the bidding further. No doubt the price scares them away. 3 kit, and one NBA Jam kit, sells for $50 total. I
crowd, and explains how things are going to go After a few more lower increment bids, the price is approach the bidder, asking if he would sell me
down. The smaller items in front of the chairs will be finalized at $975. Twenty five measly dollars shy of an one of the MK2 kits for $20. He agrees. Jim
auctioned off first. Then, one group of auctioneers even grand! I'm sure the seller is pleased with that and his wife head home, but not before report-
will handle the newer games and pinballs on the left. development! The fourth game in the row is another ing that they snagged a Super Off Road 3-
Once one row of the newer games is nearly com- Ms.Pac-Man, but in the space friendly cabaret style. player game, an Asteroids for a friend, and one
pleted, another auctioneer will begin to auction off For those of you who aren't familiar with cabaret cabi- of those 1950's pinballs Bill and I were admir-
the classics. They obviously learned from last year, nets, they are about two-thirds the height, width, and ing. Bill himself won two auctions, a Ninja
where they started both sides simultaneously, and it depth of a regular upright, and have a tasteful Gaiden with a dead monitor for $20, and some
was very difficult to tell which auctioneer was yelling woodgrain motif. These mini-cabinets were designed obscure oddball game called Igmo for $65 that
what price for what game. (Both sets of auctioneers for locations like restaurants, motel lobbies, depart- looks like it's in near museum quality condition.
used giant speakers mounted on wheeled carts, and ment stores, and other potential profit sites where a Bill finds a trucker to transport the games to his
as such, the sound was overwhelming...) They begin full size machine would either be a tight fit, or would house (it's on the trucker's way home to Rich-
to take bids on the pool table lights and the neon look out of place. These are quite valued among col- mond), and I wrap up the deal for the MK 2 kit.
Miller Light signs. I glance up, and notice a fellow lectors, as they are also among the easiest cabinets It's quite late once the games are at Bill's
collector named Jim that I remembered chatting with to move around.This particular cabaret Ms.Pac -Man is house. I hang out for a few minutes, while we
the previous year. We reintroduce ourselves, and I an upgrade from a mini-Pac-Man. It has an authentic check out Igmo on the net and discover that it’s
introduce Bill, and then we continue to watch the Ms.Pac-Man marquee, but no artwork on the screen a true rarity. There's no record of it anywhere,
and
only
a

small stuff get auctioned. glass, and it has a replacement "Ball Bat" style joy- handful of people have even heard of it. Funny
stick. The bidding opens at $300. People are not as how Bill intended to use the Igmo for parts, but
"I've got a box of 45 RPM records here... looks like excited about this piece, probably because it is not in no he feels obligated to keep this game around
300 records... can I an original cabinet, and is lacking in terms of artwork. and make information on it available to other
get $20????" The bidding starts to lose steam at $500, and the collectors. I suppose if he wants usable parts,
cabaret ends up being sold for $550. All things consid- he can salvage from the Ninja Gaiden. (As long
Bill, Jim and I roll our eyes, and Jim yells out "Get to ered, still a good deal. as he doesn't need a monitor!) I leave, and
the games!!!" 11:30 am through 7 pm. And so it continues begin the long drive home to Woodbridge.
through the rest of the day. They plug up each game Arcade auctioning really is an incredible
"This here's a Budweiser light-up sign... looks real to make sure it's working before beginning the bid- experience. You get to see many favorites, new
good... can I get $50?" ding, and games that don't come up at all go for very and old, and possibly play something you've
cheap. This included a clean, but dead Pole Position never seen before. The excitement of one of
11 am. Finally. The auctioning of the full size for $35, and the aforementioned Tornado Baseball for these arcade denizens possibly coming home
arcade classics is under way. Some young guys, $10. Once the bidding is closed on a piece, it is re- with you really is an unforgettable feeling. And
perhaps the auctioneers' sons, plug up the first corded in the books, then the guys with hand trucks when you complete a bid, and you look at the
game in the row, the aforementioned Galaxian with wheel the game away to the "closed auction" row. machine that is now yours... Well, don't be sur-
the chipped joystick. The bidding begins at $200. Funny that at no time during the auction do I hear the prised if you feel like a proud papa (or mamma)
Goes up in $50 increments until it reaches $450. stereotypical shouts of "GOING, GOING, GONE!!!!" about your new toy!
The auctioneer tempts the crowd by hefting the price that you would expect from auction scenes in books I recommend going to an arcade auction
only another $25. Somebody raises their bidder and movies. Perhaps that is an outdated practice, or whenever one pops up in your area. Be sure to
card, and nobody challenges him. maybe these guys have always done it differently. keep a limit on your spending, and figure out
Throughout the day, Bill, Jim, and I might be mov- approximately how much space you have avail-
"Can I get $500? Five hunnerd, five hunnerd, five ing right along with the pack of bidders, curious how able in your home. There's nothing worse than
hunnerd, she's a beauty, WORKING ALL THE much that Mortal Kombat in the converted Mario Bros. getting a game and then realizing you have no
WAY!!! Five hunnerd, five hunnerd.... SOLD for cabinet might go for ($60 in case you were wonder- place to put it. I believe the tarp covered Grem-
$475... what's your number, sir?" ing), or we may retreat to go sit down, have a snack, lin/Sega Carnival machine on my back porch
or just play other machines. Going to an auction would agree with that last state-
The triumphant bidder holds his card up, and WITHOUT the express purpose of buying allows you ment wholeheartedly!
they record the number. The young guys hastily tilt this freedom. Note which games you are interested in,
the Galaxian up, and slide a hand truck underneath and then periodically check to see if the auctioneer is Visit www.superauctions.com to
it. In a few seconds, the arcade classic is whisked near that piece yet. find auctions in your area.
away to the back of the auction hall, to be the first in 7 pm. Nearing the evening hours, everybody is
a growing line of "completed" auction pieces. noticeably tired. The crowd has thinned down, as Auction photos courtesy Mark Davidson. To
The next game in the row is spotlighted. Some many people have already got what they came for, see more photos and auction prices visit his
early 90's golf game called The Irem Skins Game. and left. Games in the last row go for incredibly website at www.basementarcade.com.
As far as golf games go, this one looks decent, but cheap. The auctioneers are much less manic and
very overshadowed by the current Golden Tee Golf excitable than the earlier parts of the day, and look
craze. The bidding on this piece only reac hes $150. like they just want to go home. Certainly understand-

Classic Gamer Magazine Spring 2001 11