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Author Topic: Will EBI balls be worth anything  (Read 11010 times)

Brownj0512

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Will EBI balls be worth anything
« on: November 25, 2019, 07:36:29 AM »
Do you guys think that any of the current made in USA EBI stuff will be worth anything in the future, say 3-5 years ? I know the purple hammer is going crazy on ebay right now and I still have 2 NIB plus a bunch of others NIB like widows,baller, red paradox,plus some international stuff like red wolf and a few of The ones. Just wondering if I should hold on to them or just start drilling them for myself.
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TWOHAND834

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2019, 07:46:57 AM »
Quote from: Brownj0512 on November 25, 2019, 07:36:29 AM
Do you guys think that any of the current made in USA EBI stuff will be worth anything in the future, say 3-5 years ? I know the purple hammer is going crazy on ebay right now and I still have 2 NIB plus a bunch of others NIB like widows,baller, red paradox,plus some international stuff like red wolf and a few of The ones. Just wondering if I should hold on to them or just start drilling them for myself.

I would say little of both.  Drill a few for you and hold on to some.  If you are talking about holding off 3-5 years in hopes someone will drop $500 on ebay; it is pretty unlikely someone is going to spend that much.  So I guess it depends on your perception of "worth anything".  But it never hurts to hold on to some.  I have NIB 16# Track Tour X Solid and Gamebreaker 2 Gold I have yet to punch up.
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Brownj0512

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2019, 08:23:43 AM »
The 3-5 year thing was based on how people are on ebay and other sites trying to sell GEMS... Lots of older stuff out there that were discontinued but the brand was still alive. I know i have seen IQ tour golds and some other older storm stuff going for $250+  just wondered if EBI stuff (other than purple hammer)would start showing up like that now that the USA version is gone.  I am planing on drilling a few, might be posting those purples though if the prices keep going like they are. ;D
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northface28

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2019, 12:47:04 PM »
Quote from: Brownj0512 on November 25, 2019, 08:23:43 AM
The 3-5 year thing was based on how people are on ebay and other sites trying to sell GEMS... Lots of older stuff out there that were discontinued but the brand was still alive. I know i have seen IQ tour golds and some other older storm stuff going for $250+  just wondered if EBI stuff (other than purple hammer)would start showing up like that now that the USA version is gone.  I am planing on drilling a few, might be posting those purples though if the prices keep going like they are. ;D

I think the better question is where do you see bowling on a aggregate level in 5 years?
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Brandon Riley

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2019, 12:53:20 PM »
Gem and vintage collectors do so because of nostalgia.  Moving factories and the brands being being bought is exactly what would motivate somebody to scour the internet in search of a 3-5 year old ball.
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milorafferty

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2019, 01:39:30 PM »
Quote from: northface28 on November 25, 2019, 12:47:04 PM
Quote from: Brownj0512 on November 25, 2019, 08:23:43 AM
The 3-5 year thing was based on how people are on ebay and other sites trying to sell GEMS... Lots of older stuff out there that were discontinued but the brand was still alive. I know i have seen IQ tour golds and some other older storm stuff going for $250+  just wondered if EBI stuff (other than purple hammer)would start showing up like that now that the USA version is gone.  I am planing on drilling a few, might be posting those purples though if the prices keep going like they are. ;D

I think the better question is where do you see bowling on a aggregate level in 5 years?

Best response of this thread so far. Honestly, I think the days of "gems" are over. Sure there will be an occasional ball that sells well above market price(X-Factor, Original VG/VE, or perhaps even the IQ Tour Pearl), but that will be a very rare bird.

We haven't had a collectible ball market for a couple of years. Perhaps most bowlers are too broke to continue the stupidity.  ;D
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Juggernaut

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2019, 07:34:49 PM »
I got a collectable Ebonite ball.

14lb, NIB, Ebonite NITRO/R. Made in 1993.

Started to drill it once. Changed my mind, and put it away.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2020, 05:32:41 PM by Juggernaut »
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trailerdawg1

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2020, 04:08:14 PM »
Was wondering samething. I have an ebontie 8-ball 15lbs. undrilled from the about 1998.
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BeerLeague

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2020, 07:37:49 AM »
The truth is ... NO.   If someone drops $500 on a bowling ball, they are more out to lunch than the fool asking $500 for a bowling ball.   Bowling balls have to be the WORST way to spend money (next to golf clubs) if resale is your concern.
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DP3

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2020, 10:22:23 AM »
EBI has so many balls across all of the brands that just blend together. The only ones that people might clamor for years from now are the GB2, Purple Hammer, Widow Urethane, and this new Vortex 2 because it's the last pour and hooks a ton.
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ignitebowling

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2020, 01:42:29 PM »
Not likely.  People didn't go crazy on the Track/Columbia stuff from San Antonio when it ended.  This is no different really.  Yes the new stuff will be different but they will likely keep some of the classic cores and keep slapping new covers on them like things have been done for years now.

Plenty of shops and distributors are currently holding onto a lot of ebi stuff that's not flying out the doors. Maybe when the prices start dropping that will change.

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milorafferty

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2020, 02:25:08 PM »
Bowlers are hard to predict. Some of the Hopkinsville EBI stuff may become valuable, but it's too early to tell at this time. Good examples are the original Gamebreaker. It didn't seem to sell very well when it was being produced, then a year or so after it was discontinued, it was something everyone seemed to be looking for. Same with some of the Vibes.

Motiv saw the same thing with the Sigma Sting.
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Skip H

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2020, 02:27:35 PM »
I have a couple of the old Legends Black Pearl balls that I thought would be great. Doubt I could get what I paid for them now.
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ignitebowling

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2020, 02:48:15 PM »
GB2, Pink Widow, other popular widows,  Purple Urethane,  Vibes,  Track legion solid. .  Whatever was most popular.  Which when thinking about it feels like a short list with not a lot of ebi,  track,  or columbia stuff.  Mostly the Hammer stuff.

Any other thoughts about popular must have keepers the last 5 years from the 4 brands?
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milorafferty

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Re: Will EBI balls be worth anything
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2020, 02:59:57 PM »
Quote from: Skip H on January 21, 2020, 02:27:35 PM
I have a couple of the old Legends Black Pearl balls that I thought would be great. Doubt I could get what I paid for them now.

There are still fans of the Original Black Pearl out there. Of course, you may have paid too much.  ;D


I would guess demand would set the price at $175 to $200 for them.
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