Expert: Rodger Knutson - 1/20/2009

Question
i received an answer regarding the following question indicating this was some sort of trade stimulator.  does this sound at all familiar?  i apologize that there are no images.

i am looking for ideas about the origin of this little table-top machine.  i do not have an image to attach, but was hoping that my description might ring a bell.  the machine is metal, with the name across the top front- "seven come eleven".  below the name is a window where the gumballs are seen next to the windows where you can see the reels.  the reels are red with white die on them.  below that is a list of the "payouts" in gumballs - based on what your die add up to.  i believe it is a dime machine, about a foot tall, but i cant even determine the manufacturer, and i have little to no knowledge about these items.  unfortunately the back is not on the machine, so if there were an identifying mark there, i have no way of knowing.  it looks very old, and was in a building my grandfater built in the early 50's that housed his vending business.  he had however been in the tobacco, candy and sundry wholesale business since sometime in the late 1920's or early 1930's.  if you have any ideas for me i would appreciate your input.  i am sorry i do not have an image available, but i may be able to get one.  thanks for your help!

Answer
Hi Michelle,

Yes, this is a trade stimulator, difference from a trade stimulator and a slot is that trade stimulator's were meant to stimulate trade and almost all stimulator's don't payout in cash, instead you played say a nickel, and could win one maybe, cigar, or 10 for your nickel, or win a pack of smokes or 10 packs, or same with beer, or win 5 tokens good for a nickel each toward your purchase in the place you played the thing. Some types of stimulator's would always vend a gum ball just for playing it. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of different models and makes all made to help the owner stimulate trade in his store. On average most trade stimulator's sell in the 75.00 to 400.00 dollar range in todays market, not all do by any means, but the majority will fit in here in this area somewhere. I have seen yours but I can't remember what it looks like and I can't seam to find a photo of it right now, so send one if you can to jackpot7@ix.netcom.com I can tell you this, there were two different "Seven Come Eleven" machines, made by two very different companies! Both different machines were made in 1936, one by a company called Daval and the other by a company called Kalamazoo. Both machines are valued the same. I don't have a current value for you on this one but in 1998 both these machines were listed in a value guide with the same range of value, it listed 5 values, grade one, this is new or perfect at 250.00, grade 2 at 185.00, grade three at 150.0, grade 4 at 110.00 and grade 5 was dead, junk and parts at 12.00. Well now it's 10 years later and I would say add a hundred dollars to this figure, at an average. I hope this information is useful to you, and remember you can do a search on ebay for this an see if there is one you can track to get an idea of what they are going for on ebay right now. I also have a copy of a parts catalog from a guy who sells trade parts, if you would like a copy write me at my email in this letter and I'll attach it and send it back to you.
Sincerely
Rodger Knutson