Expensive Imp?

[ReneRondeau]

Can anyone enlighten me as to why this Imp would end up selling for just shy of $500 with shipping? http://www.ebay.com/itm/221007674109

It seems awfully rough for that price, with bad paint and missing flap and gumball cover. About all it appears to have going for it would be the (seemingly) nice reel strips. Am I missing something?

[slotsdirect.com]

I was bidding on it till it hit $180 which is all I felt it was worth

[cpdretired]

Possible shill bidding to raise the price. The radio and rear gumball flaps are missing. Also the IMP nameplate has parts painted over. I have seen excellent restorations go for around $250.00.

[nvmos2]

WOW; somebody paid way too much for this IMP!
Maybe the seller, who does not appear to deal in coin-op, got lucky and found a buyer with more money than sense.
But, it takes at least two to get the bidding going; who on earth was it that bid the buyer up that high?
Perhaps, as cpd pointed out, something crooked is going on.

[cpdretired]

Here is another example of out of control bidding. I have been tracking eBay & online auctions since 2006. The highest the Daval Best Hand was ever sold for was $900.00. The most recent was $500 Oct 2011. I do not list project or parts machines.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 1008418507

[ReneRondeau]

More Impsanity: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110872255172

Over $700 with shipping. It's a much nicer Imp than the last one, but it's still pretty beat.

It makes this other rough example look like a steal at $390: http://www.ebay.com/itm/270966995367

[cpdretired]

I wouldn't pay that much for new old stock in the original box.