C.O.C.A. Times

British collecting field is just getting under way in a
ers, Jim Schafer and
serious manner for these allwins. British gaming
Glenn Brown (See
laws changed in the mid-60's to align their rules
photo B.) They ush-
more with the American trade, allowing games of
ered me out to the
pure chance with large payouts. These new games
back patio and we got
chased away the allwins, which then became
to know each other
regarded as quaint but uninteresting leftovers from
over a "soda." I had
another era. It's only been fairly recently that the
brought my major
public has rekindled an interest in these games of
reference materials
PHOTOB
their youth. Even so, this theory does not adequate-
with me and after a
ly explain why there are not more good reference short period we headed for the machines. We
books about the British games. Because of this rounded the corner on the back of Glenn's house
void, identifying and valuing British games is part and there, stacked two high and running to depth of
science, part art. I've been following British games the house, were approximately 50 allwins. They
for about ten years now and have acquired a bit of
were covered with a plastic
knowledge along the way. I also have a network of
J
tarp and sitting on wood
British friends who are willing to help me out with
rails to keep them off the
identification and valuation. Even so, I knew I
ground (See photo C.)
would have my work cut out for me when I report-
Additionally, there was a
ed for appraisal duty in Los Angeles.
tent set up in the back yard
with many more games. I
was feeling faint. How did
My airline is a major carrier. We have a lot of
two guys amass such a col-
overnights in Los Angeles. It's not that simple,
PHOTOC
though. I could just fly out to Los Angeles, pick up
lection of British gold?
the game and ship it back to my hometown. The
problem with this is that I run the risk that the game As it turns out, Jim Schafer is an active antique
would be damaged in transit. I know this all too dealer with a store in Southern California. For you
well, having suffered such indignity in the past. I serious collectors of slot machines, Jim's name
much prefer to pick up the game during the course should ring a bell. He was the man who single-
of one of my trips so that I can bring the game home handedly brought the second generation of Frank
in the cockpit with me, safe and sound. The com- Polk western slot machine figures to market in the
plicating factor is that I have to find a trip that has 1980's (See "Loose Change", December 1985,
an overnight long enough for me to rent a car and Jim's on the cover!) One afternoon last year, an
drive over to the seller's house. Additionally, the elderly gentleman walked into Jim's store with three
hours have to be right. I can't show up at midnight doubled-side scrapbook pages filled with pictures of
now, can I? And if that weren't enough to worry games, dozens of them! He asked Jim if he was
about, I have to have the next leg of the trip be from interested in them. You bet Jim was interested! Jim
Los Angeles back to my hometown of Minneapolis and his partner Glenn headed out to this man's busi-
so that I can drop the machine off as opposed to ness and had a look at the stash. The man had
dragging it around for several days before I finally machines everywhere, from his warehouse to a rail-
get off my trip. It took several months before I was road car next to his warehouse. The games had
been in storage since the early 1970's and the
able to line up that special trip.
majority of them were English. Most of the games
It was a beautiful afternoon in December as I drove were of the all win variety but there were also gam-
in rush hour traffic toward the outskirts of Los bling clocks, a single-wheel roulette and an iron for-
Angeles. I arrived on time and was met by the sell- tune teller. So, what gives?
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