Coin Slot Magazine - #080 - 1981 - October [International Arcade Museum]
Why do I collect slot machines?
By Frank DeMayo
This is a good question, and I have trouble coming up
with an answer. I first got interested about 10 years
ago. I put an ad in the local Fort Wayne, Indiana paper
and had about 10 telephone calls. After looking at
most of the machines, I finally bought a BROWN
FRONT ("Bursting Cherry"), for what I thought was too
much —$150.00. I decided to pass on the other 9
machines which included a WAR EAGLE ("Gooseneck").
(Really smart, huh?)
Afterfooling with the mechanism, I became interested
in it. There is so much ingenuity in a slot machine that
you wonder how they do it. So much for that!
My second machine didn't come until 2 years later. It
was a CASTLE FRONT and the pieces in a basket. The
wood was rotten and the mechanism was inoperable,
but this didn't stop me. To the cabinet shop I went, and
a week later I had a beautiful oak cabinet perfectly
duplicated from the original. All this for $26.00. The
mechanism was about a 2 month project, because I
had never taken one apart before. After tackling this, I
knew I could do any slot and do it properly. (Now I
became hooked on restoration.)
Does any one out there know when this will stop? I
now have 59 machines and enough work to last me 40
years. But I still travel from auction to auction looking
for another slot machine.
I think I am addicted! (Sound familiar?) Trouble is one
thing leads to another. While hunting for slot machines
I came across a Coinola Cupid Nickelodeon and
naturally had to have it. (%$&* it, here I go again! Now I
have 2 nickelodeons, 1 band organ, miscellaneous
juke boxes, etc. The end is no where in sight. Maybe a
psychiatrist will be the answer. This could be a new
disease. (Not curable, of course.)
Now that I started fooling around with music and slot
machines, what do I do with all of my seemingly
unimportant trade stimulators, gum and peanut
machines? Are there any other collectors out there
with this same problem? (I know there are!)
Funny thing though, I don't think I would like it any
other way. Even though my wife says I have taken over
the house, garage, barn, closets and dog house with
machines. What does she know? (Just kidding, Dear!)
The thrill of victory when you find a Square Deal Gum
Vender for $600.00, while on a peanut machine hunt,
and can't get it out fast enough before the owner
changes his mind. The agony of defeat when you drive
400 miles (one way) on a seemingly good lead and get
zip. What could be more fun!
Thanks for listening!
You Call Them What?
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When someone comes forward with an idea for a
new column we all try to assist in any way possible and
occasionally that means thinking of a catchy title. This
pleasant dilemma faces us for our next issue. We are,
in a round about way, introducing our new column on
trade stimulators
For several months we have been attempting to
convince Bill Whelan that he should share his nearly
limitless knowledge about trade stimulators. He
decided to launch his avocation as an author in our
November issue. The only prerequisite was that we
had to suggest a title for his column — some of the
entries were Coin Pickers, Pocket Change, Counter
Catchers. We finally decided on a clever catchy title
and a special logo befitting our newest author.
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Bill became t interested
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twenty years ago. When he was not driving his rig on
the black ribbons of America, he performed various
miracles on old slots and nickelodeons. "Actually, I
started doing restoration work for other collectors as
early as 1963," Bill confided in us. He particularly likes
to work on early uprights— the older the better.
For a number of years Bill was interested in trade
stimulators and then the interest waned as it so often
does when life offers many intriguing collectibles. Ah!
but that loss of interest could not persist when a friend
with great enthusiasm, namely Dick Bueschel, began a
series of probing questions on trade stimulators. Bill
also found his mail box stuffed with advertising infor
mation from Dick's vast library. The new interest
ignited into a consuming hobby and Bill now has
acquired the reputation of being one of the leading
authorities on trade stimulators
He'll lead us through pages of history in his upcoming
column called—
—you'll have to wait
until November for that.
A tremendous Coin Slot welcome to Bill Whelan.
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© The International Arcade Museum
October 1981
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
THE COIN SLOT-35