Expert: Rodger Knutson - 1/1/2011

Question
I inherited what we think is a 1937 Bally Bumper Pinball machine.  I operates.  The condition is good. I need to sell it and have no idea what it is worth.  My father acquired it 50 years ago.  The legend is that he got it from a Tavern that was going out of business.  Your help would be appreciated.

Answer
Hi Dennis,

Good working condition the value of this is from 300.00 to 500.00 or more if you can find a very interested buyer. Contrary to widespread belief, 'Bumper' was not the first pinball machine to have bumpers. Bally copied the idea from Pacent Novelty's 1936 'Bolo', a game that came out several months earlier. Bally did change the bumper design enough to obtain a patent on it.

'Bumper' used an electrical progressive score unit in the backbox which kept a running total using light projection. This was an improvement over previous pinball machines where the player had to add up the score by counting balls on the playfield. The new bumper allowed balls to exit the playfield after play while the score was maintained on the backbox.

Patent No. 1,802,521 ("GAME APPARATUS") was filed Aug 14, 1928 and issued April 28, 1931 to George H. Miner.

Thank You

Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com