Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

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Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

Postby flipper77 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:24 am

I may be the only slot collector who didn't know this - - - - - - but picked up a nice all-origial Mills Castle Front few weeks ago. I have had several Castle Fronts before but all were double jackpot early models. This Castle Front is serial 392,230 which places it in 1936 era. Original back door and paper has 1937 date. Assumed it was the single jackpot model that Mills transitioned to - that Dick Bueschel describes in Illustrated Slots - Volume 2. But when I pulled the jackpot to clean it up - found that this is actually the double jackpot model with a Mills insert (MLB-5398) filling the reserve jackpot window. I can remove Mills plate to convert back to the two visible jackpots if I want. Hummmm - I didn't know that. Wonder if Mills made this as a transition option before they made the single JP model change? Fascinating hobby we have!

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Re: Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

Postby gamblingman » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:48 am

I just picked up an old Castle front that I am in the middle of going through......my jackpot mech is also a double.
I picked it up from an old barn, surprisingly in good working order, although some schmuck had painted the entire thing John Deere green........
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Re: Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

Postby terick2104 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:14 am

The bottom casting had been replaced with an earlier casting at some point in the past.
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Re: Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

Postby flipper77 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:32 am

Either I don't understand your comment or you don't understand my question. Looking at the picture of this Castle Front, why would you say that the bottom casting has been replaced? Checking Dick Bueschel's serial number files (in Vol 3) there are many double JP Castle Fronts well after 1935/1936 and serial 392,230.

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Re: Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

Postby terick2104 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:12 am

You are right, I always thought that the Castlefronts went to a single jackpot around 1935. But seeing in Dick Bueschels' Slots 2 the change was made in 1937 and double jackpot windows and singles were made at the same time until the double jackpot castings were used up. I would guess they probably installed the cover plate on the double jackpot window machines to make them look like the newer style single jackpot machines. I have had several double jackpot Castlefronts, and I would remove that plate to show the reserve which I prefer . I have a complete cover plate with the frame if anybody wants it.
You will see alot of variations of Castlefronts as they changed styles from old to new, some will have the square award card and frame withe old style handle and some will have the oval ward card with the old or new style handle.
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Re: Mills Castle Front - Single Jackpot?

Postby drwstr123 » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:58 pm

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