Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #V8N8 - 1983 - April [International Arcade Museum]
More on electrical
slot machines.
Editor's Note;
The following letter was so inter
terms), as they are often found in
less than excellent shape.
Additional literature on these
collectors are recognizing this, and
electronic machines could also in
post-war console had gone from
they sell for today. Actually, other
the price for a pre-war and early
crease the number of slot collectors,
the $200 or so of a few years ago to
as they are quite affordable in un
repaired ($200-$300) shape. Many
a $400 to $600 level, and even more
would-be collectors are turned
away from our hobby because of
depending on the machine.
That's the interesting part. We are
just beginning to realize that some
of these consoles are rarer than
the relatively(approx$800-$1,000)
high price of a mechanical slot ma
chine. This could open a new avenue
to many "antique" collectors A series
and staccato payouts. It all started
Bueschel (to whom the letter was
addressed, c/o The Coin Slot) to
answer the writer, Sam Mazzeo of
Villa Hills, Kentucky, and provide
the answer to our column.
on electronic slots similiar to the
"Pinball Troubleshooting" series (by
and then jumped to the Evans, Ex
Perhaps these machines require
electrical "spinner" variety with a
Dear Mr. Bueschel;
so much time and money to repair
that this effort is simply not feasible.
Considering the number of years
you've been in the hobby, you would
probably know this better than I
would! Comments from several col
lectors in this area would lead me to
wide range of odds-changing features
esting, and because it touched on a
subject of great interest to more
and more collectors, we asked Dick
I enjoy all of your published works
and have all three editions of your
"100 Most Collectible Slot Machines"
books However, I have one question.
Why aren't there more articles on
antique electrical slot machines,
such as the 1940's bally DRAW
BELL, Mills 3 and 4 BELLS, etc.? I
know the Coin Slot Guides on these
machines will be forth coming.
However, when I purchased Coin
Slot Guide #33 for the Keeney
SUPER BELL, I found it was nothing
more than the original maintenance
manual reprinted. I believe collectors
need more information on repairing
these machines (stated in layman's
others, and most of them are exciting
because of their noise,
workings
with the PACES RACES in 1934,
Russ Jensen) would probably pro
hibit, Western, Bally, Pacific, Mills
vide the type of technical assistance
and other electric consoles of the
required.
believe that fixing these 1940 elec
trical slots is simply not worth it.
However, I am curious to learn your
comments on this subject.
Very Truly Yours,
S.A. Mazzeo
Dear Sam;
Right on, and you're the wave of
the future. The electrical consoles
of the 1930s and 1940s will be the
DEWEY floor machines of the future,
and worth considerably more than
1936-1941 period. Most are of the
As for information about them, a
few have been covered in the pages
of the An Illustrated Price Guide to
the 100 Most Collectible Slot Ma
chine series, with many more coming
up in the future volumes. Quite a
number have already been covered
in the Coin Slot Guides, with more
already at the printer for early avail
ability. Soon you'll be able to get
guides for the following machines:
Mills FOUR BELLS—Guide No. 50
Pace PACES RACES—Guide No. 7
Baker/Pace BAKERS PACERS—
Guide No. 16
Keeney TRACK TIME/KEEN ETTE-
Guide No. 49
Keeney SUPER BELL—Guide No. 33
Buckley TRACK ODDS/SEVEN
BELLS—Guide No. 39
Evans GALLOPING DOMINOS—
Guide No. 10
Does your copy
of The Coin Slot
suffer from over use?
)o all your friends get their hands on your issue of The Coin Slot
before you have the chance to read it? We have the solution to your
dilemma — and without irritating your friends. Send them their own
complimentary copy of The Coin Slot. Point out the subscription
Evans LUCKY LUCRE—Guide A/a 26
Evans EVANS RACES-Guide No. 30
In addition to these, another twenty
or more console guides are in the
works and will be coming along as
they are ready. The point is that at
the very time that interest is growing
in the older electrical machines the
manuals and guides needed to keep
them running will be available.
form and encourage them to send it in to receive their own copy each
month direct to their door. Give your issue a much needed rest!
Regarding your criticism that the
Keeney SUPER BELL Guide No. 33
□ Yes, I have a friend wno needs a complimentary copy.
was "nothing more than the original
maintenance manual," the fact is
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that what most owners and restorers
want is just that, the original printed
material. To make matters worse,
this original material is very hard to
find. Only a very few of the pre-war
electrical console manuals have ever
shown up, and as soon as they are
Continued on page 44
THE COIN SLOT
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