Expert: Rodger Knutson - 3/19/2011

Question
QUESTION: I think i have the same machine as the person who wrote this:

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 Tony,

Nice Coin drop type slot machine you have there! The early English Penny's were the size of the U.S.A. .50 cent coin so this adds a lot of confusion for a lot of people but you have to right. This is a early British type of slot machine and as for what little information I do have on it, it was bade by Bradley's and is called the "Challenger", looks to be made in 1933. From the British book I have it reads: A late coin drop design made in considerable numbers and still common. It reads on...A lovely gentle English Art Deco design which tends to be rather generous to the punter. Frequently these turn up with the central 6 payout column blocked out and the pins altered to allow coins to go direct to the coin box! Life is never fair! Attached to this answer is a scanned bit of information that I found on it and you should be able to print it off this page if you like. If you can't, let me know and I'll email it to you if you like.

Thank You

Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com  

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

QUESTION: Any idea what its worth.

Answer
Hi Tony,

Well now we got a problem because I don't really know. I haven't seen any of these sell to keep a tally of selling prices. I would guess around 800.00 to 1,000.00 but this is only my guess with out any thing to go by. You might try some of the British web sites and see if they have any idea what there selling for. There is a real good site right here:

http://www.pennymachines.co.uk/index.shtm

http://www.melright.com/slots/

http://www.melright.com/bryans/

http://www.museumofamusements.co.uk/html/gallery.html

http://www.pennymachines.co.uk/..htm?http://www.pennymachines.co.uk/Arcade/index

And for more, see the Coin-OP Web Ring on the bottom of my web page at http://www.coinslots.com


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