by J57T » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:43 am
Obviously it is fun to dream of the stories that could go along with any of the machines from the era that we are collecting in. Unless the story, any story, can be validated and traced to its accuracy, (like an authenticated original inventory of machine serial numbers in establishments documented by authorities to be operated by a specific individual and this machine possesses one of those serial numbers listed in the correct place with no evidence of modification to the serial number), then it is simply entertainment and speculation, whether true or not. My point to other collectors, of anything, is: A few unscrupulous sellers (and "flippers") sometimes hope that a story will add value to a machine that would otherwise be worth less than their price. I am sure that we have all been outbid on an item because someone else saw the value of the story, rather than the value of the machine on its own merit, only to be disappointed with the unsubstantiated historical inaccuracies of their acquisition. Asking for verification, or not being able to validate the story, often offends the seller like in the pawn store TV shows. If we buy the machine's merits (or any item) and not the story, we might be more satisfied with what we have.