by SLOT DYNASTY » Tue Oct 03, 2017 2:35 am
As stated above, if a Wizard wood case looks like new, especially on the inside, it is most assuredly a repro.
A restored original case will always show signs of age on the inside. The repros have all new metal parts on
the mechanism, and some parts do not match the originals exactly. And yes, the repro front casting will be
shrunk. When these castings are polished and painted, they have been done in a variety of color schemes,
also not matching the originals. One giveaway, is the back door lock. Mills originals used a round-cased brass
cabinet lock, that was countersunk into the wood. The repros will generally have a standard, cheap cam lock.
The same person that built these Wizards, also flooded the market with total repro "Official Sweepstakes", in
both Gum and Non-Gum models. Those can be spotted easily, because of some small parts that were not put
on the machine, because of being too meticulous to make. Also there is no serial number stamped. Many that
I have seen, also have incorrect colors on the horses. This is why all Newbie collectors, should ask questions
about any machine that looks too new, before getting Stung.