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About Rodger Knutson
Expertise
I am an expert on old coin operated machines, slot machines, trade stimulator's, jukeboxes, old arcade machines, etc. I have been identifying these for people who respond to my web site listed below, for a few years now. In almost all cases I am able to tell them about their old coin operated machines, the year, the value, and other general information about their machines. I do not know much about soda vending machines, coin banks, or scales, but I will try to help you with these if I can. Please email photo's to: jackpot7@ix.netcom.com My web site is at: http://www.coinslots.com

Experience
I bought my first slot machine, a .50 Cent Mills Black Cherry in 1969 and have been hooked from that time, I still have that Slot machine! Before that I found a open barrel full of old scraped jukebox wall boxes behind a restaurant, I wanted them all but never took a one of them. Anything that took a coin drove me nuts!

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Collectibles-General (Antiques) - value of pinball machine

Expert: Rodger Knutson - 10/28/2009

Question
QUESTION: hello... trying to get a ballpark estimate of a 1936 Bally's "Flicker" pinball machine. would really appreciate an estimate.

Thanks so much,
James
IMAGE: ballys flicker

ANSWER: Hi James,

WOW, boy this is a hard one! I did some research on it and came up with some information, but not a lot. I think you have the 1941 model by your photo. They did make a model in 1936 but most games before 1937 didn't have a back glass or if they did it was short, like about 4 to 6 inches in hight, and most others in that period had none at all. Also your photo matched the back glass on the 1941 model to a "T". Here is a link to what little information there is on the 1936 model:

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4153

Now, there is a little more information on the 1941 model and photos to compare yours to at:

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=884

Also a link to all flickers pinball machines at:

http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=Flicker&sortby=name&search=Search+Database&sea...

I went through all my price guides and pin ball books trying to find some value on this machine and there isn't any listed any ware. It doesn't show in the price guides and a resource book I have, lists it, but this book has no value guides in it. Problem is, that when a certain model of older pinball doesn't trade because there is not very many of them left, or doesn't trade often enough that a value can be established, it doesn't list a value for it. This is because there is just nothing to go by, or not enough selling to find an average value, that makes this hard to know what it might sell for. Being scarce doesn't mean it's more valuable. What does make it more valuable is the condition of the play field and the back glass, and it it's a unique and fun playing game, and yours looks to be really nice in the photo, Very Nice! So James being that there is just not much information on it and I know you are trying to find some kind of value to start at, I'll go out on a limb here and give you "my guess" as to value, but it's only my guess and I could be wrong OK? I would start at about 1,200.00 and go down from there. If you have the time and energy you could advertise the heck out of it, and maybe start at 1,400.00 and see what offers you get on it. But my felling is that it might sell around 800.00 to 1,000.00. Value in antiques is really, what a owner is willing to sell it for, and what the buyer is willing to pay for it. Value guides are just this average boiled out from known selling prices. That is about all I can give you right now, if I find something else I'll let you know and I'll watch for any selling. If I run into any information at all, I'll let you know. Sorry that this is all I have on it, but there is just not any information, or anything out there, not even in all my piles of information, books, and value guides and auction results.

Thank You
Sincerely
Rodger Knutson
Http://www.coinslots.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Rodger,

Wow you are awesome. Thanks so much for your help. It is nice to find someone who is genuinely willing to take some time to help!

Last question -- where is the best place to advertise something like this? I am in expert with eBay, would you suggest I list it on there for an extended period of time or is there other avenues that might be better?

Thanks again!
James

Answer
Hi James,

Great!, and glad I could help. I think ebay would be a very good place to offer it, as you have those people there looking for the rare stuff, always watching, and you could also put a large reserve on it and see how high the auction gets up to, for an idea as to value. I would like to know that information myself, so if I can watch, please write me with the item number at Jackpot7@q.com Later you could also try crags list to sell it, you can sell it locally that way and save the shipping problems, but you can't beat the amount of people who will see it on ebay. Thanks again and please leave me feedback at all experts if you would, that is all I get from my time, and the enjoyment of helping people like yourself.

Thanks again!

Sincerely
Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com

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