Coin Slot Magazine - #020 - 1976 - September [International Arcade Museum]
Questions & Answers
By Dick Bueschel
Q:This is a trade stimulator of some type
but I never saw one like it before. The
area above and behind the wheel had the
numbers 0-5-10-15-20-25-30 in red. The
wheel is numbered from 1 to 30. The
bottom half is clear glass and I am posi
tive there should be something covering
up the money that accumulates on the
floor of the machine.
California
A:Hurrah, it's a HOODOO, and the first
one I have seen. It is a trade stimulator
made by the August Grocery Company
of Richmond, Virginia in 1901 and a
few years thereafter. It is easily iden
tifiable by the cabinet and the clock
work mechanism behind the wheel. It
was fully automatic — no handle — but
the location had to keep it wound up.
The coin hit the bell, and spun the
wheel. The first model had the wheel
marked off in "I Do" and "U Do"
segments, and according to the original
promotional material was "designed to
be placed on counters of restaurants and
to indicate who treats . . . when the machine is to be used by two
persons". This is the trade stimulator model with a numbered wheel
made to sell goods at retail as distributed to the location by the
August Grocery Company, including cigars. The front panel, clear glass
com
.
m
:
u
m
use usually carried advertising.
f a ro replacement)
m
d
-
on this machine (probably
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Q:This monster
Do is //w about
ww 2% feet tall. There are no names, but the
:
agent's on t the
card.
The front plate is missing. What is it?
p
h t
New York
A:This is a real oldie, and goes back to almost the very beginning of
coin operated gambling and trade stimulating machines. It is one of
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10
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