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Collectibles-General (Antiques)/Bell Fruit Gum 25 Cent Slot Machine

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Expert: - 1/11/2011


Question

Bell Fruit Gum Slot Ma
I've got a 3 reel slot machine that says Mills Novelty Company, Chicago in my warehouse.  I'm curious if it really is made by Mills and when it was made - it says copyright 1910 on one of the reels.  It has MLB 6803 and P2 stamped inside the top (visible with the back panel removed).  The reels spin and fall into place when the arm is pulled.  Please let me know if this is something valuable or mundane, antique or replica.  
Thank you!

Answer

Mills Black Cherry Slo
Hi Noah,

Nice to find something like this while just digging around in a old dark corners. It's not a 1910 slot machine, that was the date you find on the real strips and that date is a copyright date for all mills real strips, you can even see that date on some machines made in the early 50's and 60's. This is a Mills Black Cherry, maybe made about 1946. I'll attach some information on it with history to this answer and you can enjoy Reading about it, it's history and some old value information. This is in really rough looking condition, and it's not it's original color any longer. Most were Silver hammertone, with black painted sides. Value on something like this in a auction today would bring about 300.00 to 900.00, so yes, it worth something and is a Cool piece of history that you can still play! Having the original back door and lock and key is important, as having a good back bonnet is very important also to it's value. Original back bonnets are really hard to locate as people tend to want to get inside with no key, and pry on the back door and back bonnet. The back bonnet being made of aluminum will break first every time, so this part is in demand for replacements. I buy and sell slot machines and if you are interested in wholesaling it, just drop me a line at jackpot7@q.com Complete Restoration for a machine in this condition could cost around 1500.00 easy to have done. Hope you enjoy all the information.

Thank You
Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentThank you, Roger. How exciting to think that we have a working slot machine from yesteryear and that it's actually worth something! I really appreciate the time you have taken to explain and enlighten so thoroughly. We will certainly contact you if we are looking to sell the machine in the future. Thanks again, Noah


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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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