Vintage kokusai

[JohnnyD]

Hello All, This is my first post and earlier today I became a proud owner of a vintage pachinko. I appears to be in overall good shape, only thing that its missing is the front glass which will be easily replaced. The back is in good shape and will need a few tweaks to make everything work properly. I have for a long time had a interest in vintage pachinko but I do not know anything about this unit. It has no electronics and is completely mechanical. What could you all tell me about it? I am also wondering its worth in its current condition and restored condition. Thanks!

[MrGneiss]

WELCOME!!!

[Moparformances]

nice looking single shot...

value is something we talk about often.. its always hard to say... location and condition are the 2 important factors in your machine...

sorry but single shot machines are older so ya get some value there but most doing like to plaything cuaes of the hand loading so ya loose some value there.. water stains on the cell are another factor...

my guess would be 75 to 100 if it cleaned up really nice and works...

hope that helps ya...

and

Welcome to Pachitalk

[JohnnyD]

Thanks, I lucked out, there are no water stains and the panel is in super shape and still has a glossy shine to it, I think the glass recently broke. The best part is I picked it up for $7

nice looking single shot...

value is something we talk about often.. its always hard to say... location and condition are the 2 important factors in your machine...

sorry but single shot machines are older so ya get some value there but most doing like to plaything cuaes of the hand loading so ya loose some value there.. water stains on the cell are another factor...

my guess would be 75 to 100 if it cleaned up really nice and works...

hope that helps ya...

and

Welcome to Pachitalk

[JACKSJE4]

Welcome to PachiTalk!! We are thrilled that you took the time to join our forum, and we hope you will come back and visit us often.

As Mopar stated, you have a nice single ball machine and I would guess is was manufactured in the late 1950's or early 1960's, as it has plastic components on the back instead of all tin (the earlier machines had all tin). It looks to be in pretty good condition for its age, and I would guess you could see it sell on ebay for $60-$150 depending on the timing and level of collector interest at the time you sell it. I have several machines from this era in my collection and that estimate reflects both what I have paid as well as what I have watched them sell for. It looks like you are on your way to starting a collection with one of the less common, harder to find machines.

Again, welcome to the forum and to the hobby. You are among like-minded family members here.

Jeff

[mxfaiman]

As Mopar stated, you have a nice single ball machine and I would guess is was manufactured in the late 1950's or early 1960's, as it has plastic components on the back instead of all tin (the earlier machines had all tin). It looks to be in pretty good condition for its age, and I would guess you could see it sell on ebay for $60-$150 depending on the timing and level of collector interest at the time you sell it. I have several machines from this era in my collection and that estimate reflects both what I have paid as well as what I have watched them sell for. It looks like you are on your way to starting a collection with one of the less common, harder to find machines.

WELCOME!!!

I would put a current value of about $75 on it if you clean it up you might see an increase in around $15 or more. It all really depends on condition and location. If you are interested in cleaning it up there are many "stickys" in this fourm check some of them out they will help you along the way. And if you have any more questions feel free to ask.

[hanabi]

Welcome to PachiTalk!!

[Rival]

I don't get it. I really don't. I've been scouring every avenue I can find for old single-shots and in 6 months I have come up with two, both complete wrecks. One of them I had to give $139.00 for and was lucky to snag it at that price. And yet I hear people on here stating they are worth around $75.00 in working order. There is a serious disconnect going on. It must be location-related, maybe in California there are millions of them piled up at second-hand shops, or sitting next to dumpsters waiting to be picked up. But here in Indiana they simply do not exist. I see a few wrecks on ebay people are trying to sell for $250-$500, but they are so trashed they are probably useful only for parts, so it's no suprise they are not moving. The last decent single shot on ebay I bid $265.00 for it and promptly got out bid! I am thinking maybe all those people who think they are worth $75.00 should just sell them all to me for $75.00 each. I could rent a box truck and drive to Cali and fill it to the brim with all of these cheap singleshots. Here is my question: Who exactly is selling them for $75? I think I can throw them some business and help them clean out their garages.

[Microbus99]

I don't get it. I really don't. I've been scouring every avenue I can find for old single-shots and in 6 months I have come up with two, both complete wrecks. One of them I had to give $139.00 for and was lucky to snag it at that price. And yet I hear people on here stating they are worth around $75.00 in working order. There is a serious disconnect going on. It must be location-related, maybe in California there are millions of them piled up at second-hand shops, or sitting next to dumpsters waiting to be picked up. But here in Indiana they simply do not exist. I see a few wrecks on ebay people are trying to sell for $250-$500, but they are so trashed they are probably useful only for parts, so it's no suprise they are not moving. The last decent single shot on ebay I bid $265.00 for it and promptly got out bid! I am thinking maybe all those people who think they are worth $75.00 should just sell them all to me for $75.00 each. I could rent a box truck and drive to Cali and fill it to the brim with all of these cheap singleshots. Here is my question: Who exactly is selling them for $75? I think I can throw them some business and help them clean out their garages.

Rival, take it easy man! Its the 4th of July weekend and time to enjoy yourself.

It took me awhile to get one as well. I think I may have 5 in average condition. Every one of them needs some type of repair or minimal restoration. Maybe if we all take a good look at our collections maybe we could come up with one for you. Hang in there. Maybe you could start a thread reaching out to the gang. However, if you're not into restoring you will pay a high price for mint machine on Ebay.

Have a great weekend!!

[mxfaiman]

I don't get it. I really don't. I've been scouring every avenue I can find for old single-shots and in 6 months I have come up with two, both complete wrecks. One of them I had to give $139.00 for and was lucky to snag it at that price. And yet I hear people on here stating they are worth around $75.00 in working order. There is a serious disconnect going on. It must be location-related, maybe in California there are millions of them piled up at second-hand shops, or sitting next to dumpsters waiting to be picked up. But here in Indiana they simply do not exist. I see a few wrecks on ebay people are trying to sell for $250-$500, but they are so trashed they are probably useful only for parts, so it's no suprise they are not moving. The last decent single shot on ebay I bid $265.00 for it and promptly got out bid! I am thinking maybe all those people who think they are worth $75.00 should just sell them all to me for $75.00 each. I could rent a box truck and drive to Cali and fill it to the brim with all of these cheap singleshots. Here is my question: Who exactly is selling them for $75? I think I can throw them some business and help them clean out their garages.

Well it isn't that there are many of them. They are in limited quantities. We just say $75 because many people into VP don't really like single shots that much because it comes to be annoying when you have to feed every single ball in manually. I mean every one needs at least one in their collection. But they are not as sought after as some of the recyclers. I mean yes some of them look really cool due to the era they were built in but it doesn't really affect the value of it that much maybe retail of about $10 or $15. But otherwise it is still a single shot. I mean I know people like Jeff like to collect them, and I'm sure he would probably put a higher price on some of them than we do. It really all depends on what someone would be willing to pay for it and their view of. Also if you do want to come out to CA there are a few single shots on craigslist but most of them are nishijins

[Microbus99]

How about you MX. Have a few to give up for donation?

[mxfaiman]

How about you MX. Have a few to give up for donation?

I only own one single shot at the moment. I'm also kinda keeping an eye out for some

[Lt Teddy]

Value is in the want category. I started off with a machine about forty years ago. My son started collecting awhile back and about two years ago now I started again. You go thru phases with collecting. I started and really got interested in a powerflash. I have to admit I drove the price up on one on ebay because I thought I just had to have it. It went for $1057 dollars. Not to me I ending up over the next five months buying and then later selling five different powerflashs. I had a pristine chinaman and a nicer thunderbird. I then collect a few paschislo but I will probably be chastised for this I really do not get the afixation with those machines. Ten later I now have none. My latest and probably last craze was with the arepachi. I am still infatuated with them and beleive it or not I probably always will be. Hard to find but in the last sixteen months I have bought sold or own a dozen of them. Some bought for as little as forty dollars and one from Japan which was a turkey for $1400 dollars. You want to talk about value well I sure can. Value is in the eye of the person that wants it. I would not own a single shot. Alot of the members here think an arepachi is too high if it goes for three hundred.

The ones of us that have arepachis know how hard they are too get running and their are very few people that know how in the states if any. It is all guess work for most without a schematic. I can tell you that if you have the TIME you can find a nice one on craigs list. The problem with all of this is shipping. I have had two good experiences with shipping and too many to count bad ones. The two good ones were with FED EX and good packaging.

Mopar will be here with my last arepachi purchase next week and I will probably send some home with him as I have recently moved and only want to keep around ten. If you take the time and are patient you will find something close to you for a reasonable price. Well I have said my two cents worth. Have a nice day and HAPPY Fourth of JULY to all.

[emmadog]

Rival,
Everything has a value I suppose and it's been my experience that the common, everyday vintages that have inflated prices are sold by people who have just come across them. They find them and think they really have something rare and quite unique when it's pretty much the opposite. They're everywhere and I see them on CL across the country for free at least a few times a month. Some as LT mentioned above, are in a different category such as arepachis also known as arrangeballs, pachislos, pre-masamura single shots, etc. and command more prices because they are rare and/or more complicated. I've paid more for arepachis than many of my pinballs which is something many pinheads would scratch their heads over.
To beat a dead horse, it's what someone is interested in and wants to pay. I have no interest in modern pachinkos-too noisy and no matter what theme it seems the characters are always rendered into a version that would seemingly appeal only to kids. Then there's the scantily clad cartoon girls who look like jailbait. Creepy and I'd have a hard time explaining that to the crowd I run with and it's not because they're religious nuts. So I wouldn't pay for those or pachislos-I'd rather own a real slot machine that was once in a casino. But fans of all the machines that I don't care for would likely be bored with my arepachis and one single shot. That's just my opinion but it's what dictates what ibuy and how much I pay.
Below is a pic of the Maruhon single shot that's yours for 125 if you want it plus shipping. It's in great shape, works, and is the only one I've seen like it and has great, colorful graphics. The center character means "good luck" or so I was told.

[Rival]

Sold. Check PM for details, Emmadog. Thats one sweet machine. You rock.