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Coin Slot

Issue: 1982 September 091

Coin Slot Magazine - #091 - 1982 - September [International Arcade Museum]
ETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor
I have enclosed pictures of three machines marked A, B, and
C. I would appreciate any information you may be able to give
me on these machines, i.e. the year they were made, what country
they came from, the manufacturer of the machines, how much
they originally cost, and what they are worth today. None of the
machines pay off in coins. Only the pinball/slot is electrical.
A — is some kind of trade stimulator.
B — is some kind of mechanical pinball machine.
C — is a cross between a pinball machine and a slot machine.
None of the machines have names or serial numbers from the
manufacturer.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Robert Scrimshaw
lot of the pinball collectors stumped for some time. But the
researchfor the upcomingpinball book to bepublished by Coin
Slot Books unearthed the story. It'll be in the books, but suffice
it to say here it's the SK-IL-RO made by the Auto-Bell Novelty
Company in Chicago in 1968 as a copy ofthe pre-World War
11 Mills Novelty 1-2-3, only the graphics are considerably
different and it also has flippers.
That third machine is the toughest, as we really can't make
out much. We do know that it is American, and an earlypinball
game circa summer of1931 to summer of1932. It looks like an
A.B.T. game to us, but we can't really tell. Are there any
markings at all, or names of cities, on it?
So they're all American, you have the dates, and two of the
manufacturers. As for their new cost, that's hard to say. More
often than not the makers didn't advertise the cost of their
games in their ads. That was a closed-mouth deal between
Dear Robert:
Two out ofthree ain't bad. And that's what we can identify.
The trade stimulator is the easiest one to identify. It was
made by the Groetchen Tool Company in Chicago in the
summer of1934, and is called ZIGZAG. Your machine seems
complete exceptfor the missing nameplate marquee on the top
of the cabinet shown in its advertising.
That three-reel pinball game is a lot tougher, and has had a
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6 — THE COIN SLOT
© The International Arcade Museum
SEPTEMBER, 1982
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
Coin Slot Magazine - #091 - 1982 - September [International Arcade Museum]
operator and distributor. As for their present value, you can
find those in the price guides published by Coin Slot Books.
Groetchen games similar to ZIG ZAG are priced in both the
Volume 1 and Volume 2 trade stimulator books, the Auto-Bell
SK-IL-RO will probably be in the Volume 3 pinball book, and
as soon as that olderpinballgame can be identified it*II show up
in a price book, too.
The Editor
Dear Editor
I am sending you a copy of the claw machine I am starting to
restore. In the May issue of The Coin Slot, the article on the
Streets done by Nic Costa shows a picture of a similar machine.
Could you please forward the picture to Mr. Costa and ask
him to please send all the information he knows on this machine
to me.
I've written everywhere and had little response.
Thank you,
Marilynn Abrams
16
PAGE
8V2XII CATALOG
Dear Marilynn:
We sent your letter on to Nic Costa as requested and here is
his reply.
Dear Marilynn:
The machine is, I believe, the junior version of the highly
successful ELECTRIC TRAVELLING CRANE made by
International Mutoscope ofNew York Work on developing the
machine reportedly began as early as 1926. By 1929, patent
applications had been filed in a number ofcountries. The U.K.
Continued on page 8
1. 5* Mills LION FRONT, Excellent
$1,450
3. National Cash Register Model 313
$
650
4. Exhibit PLAY BALL Penny Flip
$
375
5. Stevens MAGIC BARREL Trade Stimulator... $
650
6. 5C Mills VEST POCKET
$
375
each $
25
8. Bally 1972 FIREBALL Pinball
BERNIE BERTEN
9420 S. Trumbull Ave., Evergreen Park, IL 60642
TCS
Phone (312) 499-0688
$1,175
2. National Cash Register Model 34, Wooden
7. Play-Mor Wall Box, Excellent
Springs are listed in this catalog for Mills, Jennings,
Pace, Caille,Watling, Fey, Mills Vest Pocket, Jennings
Little Duke, Columbia, Buckley and Rockola Springs
are also priced by the foot. To receive the catalog send
$1.00, refundable with your first order, to:
$1,395
9. Nelson Wiggen Cabinet Style
Nickelodeon, Restored
10. 50C Jennings SUN CHIEF
$4,850
$1,250
.com
No Reproductions.
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ITEMS AVAILABLE.
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SATISFACTION
GUARANTEED
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All of our machines are original
1108 Front St., Lisle, IL 60532 (312) 964-2555
SEPTEMBER, 1982
© The International Arcade Museum
THE COIN SLOT-7
http://www.arcade-museum.com/

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