Coin Slot

Issue: 1976 August 019

Coin Slot Magazine - #019 - 1976 - August [International Arcade Museum]
also classified as gambling, was a Caille Doughboy cabinet and partial
mechanism which sold for $100. Lot #45 was the first set of upright
parts to go up for sale. In general, the parts (especially the tin wheels)
were not in as good condition as might have been expected from the
catalogue pictures. Like all the other lots of machine parts to follow,
Lot #45 was classified as gambling. The six tin wheels, Caille mechanism
main frame and other associated parts sold for $300, a price somewhat
lower than many people expected. Lot #148 was the next major set of
parts to go up for bid. It was probably the most desirable of all the parts
lots in the auction since it contained four Caille coin heads as well as
several Caille Centaur front castings and wheels. After several minutes of
spirited bidding between two resolute, determined bidders, lot #148 was
sold for $3900. The willingness of the successful bidder to go to such
prices, if necessary, apparently cowed the unsuccessful bidders. During
the remainder of the auction, the parts lots were auctioned off at very
reasonable prices to the same bidder without much competitive bidding.
Only two of the three-reelers were really of top quality, either from an
appearance or a rarity standpoint. The two attractive three-reelers were
the 10 Little Duke with gum vendor (Lot #121) in excellent unrestored
condition which sold for $800 and the Caille Superior (Lot #152) in
magnificent restored condition, which sold for $925. The balance of the
three-reelers, in varying conditions of unrestored, sold for prices ranging
from $400 to $650. These were mostly purchased by Nevada residents
who wanted one or two machines for their home.
The trade stimulators, some rare, some not-so-rare, sold for fairly hefty
prices as most of them were not classified as gambling devices. Lot#127,
classified as gambling, was a 3-in-1 dice machine, reputedly produced by
Charles Fey in the 1920's. It sold for $450. Lot #130, not gambling, was
a Little Perfection 5-reel poker machine in very good unrestored con
dition which sold for $600. A desirable Mills Commercial five-reel flip-
card poker machine, Lot #149, not classified as gambling, sold for $750.
Although all the small cards were intact, the purchaser took a bit of a risk
since the front glass as well as the plunger activator were missing and the
back casting was cracked. A very unusual, old five-reel flip-card poker
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machine (Lot #158) in cast iron, not gambling, produced or distributed by
the Monarch Card Machine Company of San Francisco sold for $700.
Although the machine lacked a marquee and was not operating, the ma
chine attracted several bidders due to its apparent age and rarity. The
balance of the trade stimulators, all not classified as gambling and pro
duced in the late '20's or '30's, sold for prices ranging from $225 to $425.
A very attractive late model Watling Brownie Jackpot (Lot #120) in
oak was classified as gambling and sold for $1425. This machine, although
one of the last models of the counter-top pinwheel machine to be pro-
© The International Arcade Museum
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Coin Slot Magazine - #019 - 1976 - August [International Arcade Museum]
duced, received considerable attention due to its generally attractive con
dition and its kinship to the large, old upright pinwheel machines. Two
1940's Vintage console slots. Lots #146 and 147 were classified as
gambling devices and sold for $250 and $225, respectively. The general
lack of enthusiasm for these two machines seemed to parallel a fairly
wide-held belief by collectors across the country that console machines
are not desirable due to their large, boxy appearance and their electrical
operation. Although this opinion may be starting to change, the two
console machines which sold at low prices did not reflect this change. A
more novel Buckley 'Track Odds" gambling machine (Lot #167) sold
for $500.
On the non-gambling side, an old Happy Jap mechanical gum dispenser
(Lot #141) sold for $650, a price below that paid recently for working
examples of this machine. Investigation showed that the piece lacked
only a small piece of tin sheet to work properly. All in all, a good buy.
Lot #269 was an old Mills lung tester in good unrestored condition. Due
to the current enthusiasm among collectors for old arcade items, this ma
chine attracted several bidders. It finally sold to a happy collector
for$2700.
There were several non-mechanical gambling items for sale in the
auction which were also of interest to machine collectors. An 8-foot
high wheel of fortune with table layout and ship rack (Lot#234) sold for
$900. An old roulette wheel and table (Lot #400) in fair condition sold
for $400. A newer but smaller roulette table and wheel (Lot #456) in
excellent condition sold for $600. A table top wheel of fortune (Lot
#503) sold for $150. A small statuette of a monkey holding a roulette
wheel, not classified as gambling (Lot #506) sold for $325. Also not
classified as gambling were a small wooden goose (Lot#507) for $170,
an old Bingo cage and case (Lot #508) for $175 and an unrestored faro
layout and small casekeeper (Lot #510) for $225. An old wooden floor-
mounted wheel of fortune with oil skin layout (Lot #527) was classified
as gambling and sold for $475.
The upright machines sold at the auction were in varying stages of
restored condition, from acceptable to beautiful. All the machines were
complete, with the excpetion of music boxes, and worked perfectly.
Naturally, all of the uprights were classified as gambling devices, thus
leaving the bidding to the Nevada residents. The first upright sold was a
rare and lovely Watling Puck (Lot #131) in fair restored condition. This
was probably the rarest of the uprights auctioned and many out-of-state
collectors were forced to sit on their hands and eat their hearts out while
the Watling Puck sold for $3700. The balance of the uprights were Cailles,
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being either the Eclipse or the Centaur (with Jackpot in front casting)
models.
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