C.O.C.A. Times
Issue: 2006-March - Vol 7 Num 1 - Page 8
A CRICKET
FOR
LITTLE
JIM MIN y
There are distinct personality dif-
where the quality of our collection
ferences between nationalities. Such
depends solely upon luck? If I'm
has been the grist for comedians over
speaking to your personal condition,
the years and we've all enjoyed a
please read on.
laugh at the other countryman's ex-
My passion for British games
pense. Most perceptions of difference
runs deep.
As Dearly Beloved
are based on caricature but even so,
would agree, I devote a great deal
there usually is a kernel of truth un-
of my free time to searching for or
derlying the spoof. Having collected
by JOHN PETERSON
researching these machines. Once I
British games for a few years now and
get a new one home, it's off to my
having had the opportunity to correspond with British little workshop in the basement where I dismantle the
collectors, great and small, I am struck by a difference game completely and then reassemble it after hand pol-
in personality. Here in America, our stories are almost ishing each piece, down to the individual screws. For
invariably about the huge "find" that we made, di scov- me, there is something therapeutic about taking a sad
ering a rare coin-op treasure in an unlikely place (like a looking relic from the past and giving it a second lease
garage sale) and purchasing it for a pittance. The Brit- on life. It's also about continuity. I believe that I am
ish, on the other hand, are more likely to tell the oppo- charged with helping to preserve a small segment of
site tale about the "one that got away." I like to think our past for future generations. It's a way of saying,
that is it more a testament to their national affinity for "This is who we were. Take a look and enjoy our pas-
modesty rather than their bad luck that fuel s such tales. times for they will not be repeated." Coupled with my
As a matter of taste, I prefer the British approach, per- desire to preserve is my passion to know all about my
haps because it more accurately reflects the life that we latest acquisition. These games are a window into our
all lead. I mean, how many of you actually married past and I want to look through that window as far as I
the Prom Queen ? None the less, the story today is an am able. In that respect, there are two main resources
American tale of stunning success but with a different available: books and more knowledgeable friends. For
moral than you might expect. Let us begin.
beginning collectors, I would urge you to develop your
I am a small potatoes collector. My pockets are library first and your collection afterward. Books are
shallow rather than deep. And I am fine with that, re- cheap when compared to machines and the knowledge
ally, I am. Recently here at an auction in Las Vegas, a you gain will help you level the playfield with the great-
single slot machine sold for over $200,000. Add a 10% est of collectors. Such is the following tale of this little
Buyer's premium plus tax and you have some serious Jimminy.
money changing hands for one admittedly beautiful
The majority of my British game collection has come
early American roulette game by Caille. I am not in by way of the internet, either directly through auctions
that league. In fact, I am so far from that league that my or indirectly from contact with other collectors. With-
mouth drops open when I see such spending. There are out the internet, my present collection would have been
sales on Ebay where the opening price is so high that impossible. I routinely troll through Ebay looking for
it makes me shake my head and think, "No way, Jose." English games up for auction. Less freque ntly, I visit
Yet, when the item sells, there will often times be just the established coin-op web sites and take a look at the
one bid. If I recognize the bidder, it is almost always "For Sale" items. It's a matter of economy for me. I
one of the major players among a small group of elite rarely see any English games offered for sale on Ameri-
US collectors. I have a feeling that even if I won the can websites. I find this to be peculiar in a way for a
lottery, I would not be bidding within that rarified air of great deal of English gaming was shipped to the States
world class collectors. It probably relates to my mod- during the 1960's and 1970's. My speculation is that the
est upbringing. My mother was a Depression era girl American owners of these games, when they decide to
who suffered through the tough times. She imprinted sell their pieces, go to Ebay for the easy disposal as op-
her children with the need for thrift and the dangers of posed to contacting a website that runs want ads. Ebay
excess. So, what about us little guys? Does the mod- has the added advantage of automatic market pricing.
esty of our collector's budget relegate us to the dustbin Many owners of coin-op do not know the current value
8
FOR
LITTLE
JIM MIN y
There are distinct personality dif-
where the quality of our collection
ferences between nationalities. Such
depends solely upon luck? If I'm
has been the grist for comedians over
speaking to your personal condition,
the years and we've all enjoyed a
please read on.
laugh at the other countryman's ex-
My passion for British games
pense. Most perceptions of difference
runs deep.
As Dearly Beloved
are based on caricature but even so,
would agree, I devote a great deal
there usually is a kernel of truth un-
of my free time to searching for or
derlying the spoof. Having collected
by JOHN PETERSON
researching these machines. Once I
British games for a few years now and
get a new one home, it's off to my
having had the opportunity to correspond with British little workshop in the basement where I dismantle the
collectors, great and small, I am struck by a difference game completely and then reassemble it after hand pol-
in personality. Here in America, our stories are almost ishing each piece, down to the individual screws. For
invariably about the huge "find" that we made, di scov- me, there is something therapeutic about taking a sad
ering a rare coin-op treasure in an unlikely place (like a looking relic from the past and giving it a second lease
garage sale) and purchasing it for a pittance. The Brit- on life. It's also about continuity. I believe that I am
ish, on the other hand, are more likely to tell the oppo- charged with helping to preserve a small segment of
site tale about the "one that got away." I like to think our past for future generations. It's a way of saying,
that is it more a testament to their national affinity for "This is who we were. Take a look and enjoy our pas-
modesty rather than their bad luck that fuel s such tales. times for they will not be repeated." Coupled with my
As a matter of taste, I prefer the British approach, per- desire to preserve is my passion to know all about my
haps because it more accurately reflects the life that we latest acquisition. These games are a window into our
all lead. I mean, how many of you actually married past and I want to look through that window as far as I
the Prom Queen ? None the less, the story today is an am able. In that respect, there are two main resources
American tale of stunning success but with a different available: books and more knowledgeable friends. For
moral than you might expect. Let us begin.
beginning collectors, I would urge you to develop your
I am a small potatoes collector. My pockets are library first and your collection afterward. Books are
shallow rather than deep. And I am fine with that, re- cheap when compared to machines and the knowledge
ally, I am. Recently here at an auction in Las Vegas, a you gain will help you level the playfield with the great-
single slot machine sold for over $200,000. Add a 10% est of collectors. Such is the following tale of this little
Buyer's premium plus tax and you have some serious Jimminy.
money changing hands for one admittedly beautiful
The majority of my British game collection has come
early American roulette game by Caille. I am not in by way of the internet, either directly through auctions
that league. In fact, I am so far from that league that my or indirectly from contact with other collectors. With-
mouth drops open when I see such spending. There are out the internet, my present collection would have been
sales on Ebay where the opening price is so high that impossible. I routinely troll through Ebay looking for
it makes me shake my head and think, "No way, Jose." English games up for auction. Less freque ntly, I visit
Yet, when the item sells, there will often times be just the established coin-op web sites and take a look at the
one bid. If I recognize the bidder, it is almost always "For Sale" items. It's a matter of economy for me. I
one of the major players among a small group of elite rarely see any English games offered for sale on Ameri-
US collectors. I have a feeling that even if I won the can websites. I find this to be peculiar in a way for a
lottery, I would not be bidding within that rarified air of great deal of English gaming was shipped to the States
world class collectors. It probably relates to my mod- during the 1960's and 1970's. My speculation is that the
est upbringing. My mother was a Depression era girl American owners of these games, when they decide to
who suffered through the tough times. She imprinted sell their pieces, go to Ebay for the easy disposal as op-
her children with the need for thrift and the dangers of posed to contacting a website that runs want ads. Ebay
excess. So, what about us little guys? Does the mod- has the added advantage of automatic market pricing.
esty of our collector's budget relegate us to the dustbin Many owners of coin-op do not know the current value
8
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).