Expert: Rodger Knutson - 5/28/2008

Question
I am wondering how much a Groetchen Columbia 10c Slot Machine is worth that my grandmother owns.  She is getting ready to sell it, and has no idea what it would be worth.  It is blue and in really good shape.  It does work, but right now it is jammed, it has done this frequently in the past.  I am not sure of the year, but it has Chicago USA on it, along with No. A-200  C978.  She has had it since my grandfather purchased it in 1984 for $400.  It still has the key to the back and a very nice cabinet that it was sold with.  I don't currently have a picture of it.  Anything that you would be able to tell me about it I would appreciate.  Thanks,Erin

Answer
Hi Erin,

These are really nice small slot machines when there working good. There is one on ebay right now that you can watch, make a short cut to it on your desk top and you can go back to it when the auction is over to see what it sells for. It's at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Groetchen-Columbia-5c-ANTIQUE-Slot-Machine-1936-1950_W0QQite...

If you want to write me at jackpot7@ix.netcom.com I would be glad to attach and send you back some history on it. The value on these is around $650.00 on average. With just a couple of parts you can convert these easily to .01, .05, .10, or .25 cent. Great little slot. Having the original back door and key is a very big plus. It was made around 1936 by Groetchen Tool & Manufacturing Company in Chicago. It has a coin carousel that returned the last coins played, so if you were playing slugs, you won your slugs back! It is most likely jammed under the coin head in the carousel, the little coin dividers get bent and the machine tries to put two coins in one divider, straighten them out so one is not wider then another and it will help. There is a small flap on the coin head inside that can be removed by puling out it's hing pin to get at the jam, I know, I have one and love it.
Thank You
Rodger Knutson