Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #006 - 1975 - February [International Arcade Museum]
THE
COIN
SLOT
FEBRUARY
1975
THIS MONTH'S COVER
This first three reel machine
These two gentlemen can be
considered
among
the
was actually smaller than later
most
important figures in the devel
counterparts, and had no jack
opment of coin-operated equip
pot,
ment.
highest
On
the
left
is
Tom
Watling (does anyone notice a
twenty
coins
coins
payout.
"as
an
being
the
Jackpots
additional
of
pre
strange resemblance to J. Ed
mium to the regular reward"
gar
1889
did not appear until 1925. Note
Hoover?)
who,
in
founded the Watling Scale Co.,
that the symbols are not the
of Chicago, and produced such
great one-wheel machines as
fruit
the Dewey, the Judge, and the
Chicago (see Issue #3, Nov. '74
The Coin Slot). On the right is
three
Charles
shoes. Note too that only one
Fey,
who
in
symbols
that
most
slot
players are familiar with, but
suits
of
playing
cards
(spades, hearts and diamonds),
and
1895
bells,
stars
and
horse
machine
symbol at a time is visible on
into its present three reel form.
each reel. On later machines a
One of these original machines
total of nine symbols is visible
developed
the
slot
the
at all times (the one above and
photo, which, incidentally was
one below the payline on each
taken in the early 1930's.
reel).
is
in the
foreground
of
The
paycard
indicates
The three reel form, with the
that winners are paid off in
reels stopping in one-two-three
order, soon took away the play
from the one reel consoles,
with all the leading slot manu
facturers soon following suit. It
drinks (three bells, ten drinks;
but actually the machine paid
is interesting to note that the
ble
basic machinery layout of the
authorities, Fey pasted a two
modem slot machine is virtu
cent revenue stamp on each
ally unchanged from the origi
machine.
nal 1895 model.
was a two cent Federal tax on
According
to
John
heart flush, eight drinks; etc.),
automatically in nickels.
Scarne
In order to avoid any possi
(Scarne's Complete Guide
At
tured,
and
com that
.
m
eu
m: us
o
r
f
d
*'Charles Fey
de-m
ade the
a
o made
l
c
r
n
a
slot machines ow
hand w. and
D by //w
w
placed them in local
gambling
ttp:
palaces on h
a fifty percent
New York, third edition, 1961),
with
the
this
Fey
figured
insurance
in
federal
time
each deck of cards
to
Gambling, Simon and Schuster,
conflict
there
manufac
must
this
was
order
to
have
cheap
avoid
possible Federal interference.
As
mentioned
1895
design
upon
which
before,
was
most
the
the
format
successful
rental basis. He is therefore,
not only the inventor but also
manufacturers
the first slot machine
some seventy-nine years it has
tor/'
opera
© The International Arcade Museum
eventually
lied for future machines.
re
For
remained
basically unchanged
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
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