Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #016 - 1976 - March [International Arcade Museum]
By MICHAEL POLLOCK
to resume his pastime.
A Van Nuys slot machine collec
tor, whose hobby came to an
abrupt end in January when sher
iff deputies arrested him and con
fiscated his machines, may be able
At least that's the way it appears
after Municipal Court Commis
sioner Herbert Hargrave ordered
authorities to return to Jerome
Kenzer approximately 50 of the al
leged gaming devices — repre
senting a $30,000 investment.
One drawback for the 48-year-
old Kenzer is that Hargrave stayed
execution of the order to allow the
city attorney's office to file an ap
peal with the appellate depart
VALLEY
NEWS
and GREEN SHEET
Friday« Msrch 28, tit Ai
ment of the Superior Court.
In addition, Hargrave's order af
fects all of Kenzer's machines ex
cept one the defendant allegedly
agreed to sell to an undercover
sheriff deputy.
Still, Kenzerof 14322 Valerio St.,
an electrical contractor who has
collected slot machines for more
than 15 years, is happy with the
court order, even though he re
mains facing charges of possess
ing and selling gambling devices.
The Commissioner based his de
cision on a finding that Kenzer's
slot machines are collector's items,
have artistic value and were not
being used for gambling.
Hargrave further held that the
machines have historical signifi
cance of early times in California.
The defendant, who said his ma
chines "are beautiful antique
works of art," was originally re
ported by sheriff deputies/to be in
the business of repairing and sell
ing the machines.
Deputies also said they seized
the devices, valued from $500 to
$700 each, from a warehouse next
to Kenzer's home.
Kenzer said, however, that he
acquires and repairs the machines
for himself.
He also maintained that "the so-
called warehouse" is really an ex
tension of his home.
"I acquired the property next to
my home some time ago and it is
used to house the machines, an art
studio, for my wife and living
quarters for my sons,"
The defendant added that he is
spearheading a drive to persuade
area legislators to amend the Cali
fornia Penal Code dealing with the
possession of slot machines.
"They are valuable because
they are part of Americana," he
added.
He maintained further that the
mere possession of slot machines
should not be a crime.
"It is a crime to use them for
gambling, but we collectors
wouldn't gamble with our ma
chines," he said.
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