Expert: Rodger Knutson - 1/5/2010

Question
I have an old challenger machine that is wooden with a glass front door. The jackpot is 6 cents and the coins are  1 cent, but the size of a half dollar. The coins land in slots and drop when you fill one. I was told it was an antique slot machine, but it reminds me of a pachinco machine due to the metal pegs that the coins bounce on. The pennies date from 1early 1900's .

Answer
Hi Gail,

Here's the deal, I think I know what kind of game this is, but it is most likely foreign made, and for use not in the U.S.A. So information is really going to be a challenge to find on it. By your description it sounds like it's a penny drop machine, only with the large pennies, (the size of u.s. 50 cent coin, I bet) are early English pennies. I am guessing you put in a coin and flip it, or shoot it, up into the top of the machine, the coin then falls down bounceing down a play field loaded with little nails, and maybe if it goes into one of the three maybe jackpot slots, you win what is in that jackpot, if you miss it goes to the owners cash box. If so, this is a slot machine made for gambling. I would have to see a photo of it to even try to find any information on it, as it was not a "made in the U.S.A." game, and the search for information will most likely lead me overseas. Can you email some photos? my email address is Jackpot7@q.com if you can. I understand it is called a Challenger but can you locate on it somewhere, who the manufacturer is? If you can do all this, I'll do my best Gail at trying to find something out on it for you.

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