Yesterday, 5/1/1999, there was another arcade auction in Pennsauken, NJ. Luckily, these Super Auctions aren't too far from me. In the winter/spring time they have the auction about every six weeks. I arrived at around 10:30 or so, and begin scouting for my next cabinet.

Although you can't see a lot of detail in these photos, you can get an idea of what the auctions are like. This is during inspection time. As you can see, there aren't too many people here. Comparatively speaking, this auction was on the small side. There were a few good deals, including a few nice Ms. Pac Mans, and couple of sweet Blasteroids.

It was my impression that a couple people picked up good deals. For example, there was a very nice Pengo that went for the low $200s (if memory serves me correct). Others probably got around market value. There was a great Mini Gorf that my friend Bill picked up for about $650.

And here was one of my choices for a MAME cabinet. It was some "Spy" game that I never heard of, but it looked like it was from the mid to late 80s. The control panel was about the right size. However, upon closer inspection I noticed that the game had serious water damage. This game would need most (if not all) of the particle replaced. I decided that it wouldn't be worth the effort, considering that new particle board would cost more than the cabinet was worth. I decided to pass.

Ahhh! Here appeared to be the cabinet that I was waiting for. The control panel wasn't in the best location (a little low for someone my height), but I could fix that. The monitor was broken, so I was assured that I would get a great price. Boy was I wrong! Apparently I underestimated the value of a recent game, even if the monitor is broken. I was hoping to pick this game up for less than $100. The bidding started at over $300! I couldn't believe it! After this was auctioned off, there wasn't much left for me to choose from. Discouraged, I decided to call it a day.

While the day was a loss for finding a MAME cabinet, I did get the opportunity to see some really nice machines. No, this isn't me. Check out the condition of the side art. With a little bit of work, this Pac cabinet could be restored back to mint condition.

So, I headed home without a cabinet, while my friend Bill (first time at an auction) went home with two. What a gyp! There's another auction coming up in a couple of weeks in Mt. Holly, NJ. I thought about going to that one. However, they are usually smaller than the Super Auctions, and the prices aren't as good. Then I read on r.g.a.c. about this. Check it out! Over 700 games?!

--James