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Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 9:08 pm
by wboyd
Hello all,
First time poster and I hope you can help with a question. I am in possession of a vintage Mills 50 cent slot with a Black Gold Upper cabinet, but a lower Golden Falls cabinet. The problem is that the fall is not gold, but black. I looked at the falls and it does not appear to be painted over, but possibly made that way at the factory. I tried to see if there was any other Mills models with a black falls, but nothing. Factory made or not is my issue. My first thoughts was someone pieced this together, but I think there was some sort of issue with parts in 1947 with the changeover to taller tops. If this is pieced together, how bad does it hurt the value of a machine that is pieced together? Opinions please.

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Re: Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 7:44 am
by YourBestBet
Is your escalator jammed or is it a push escalator like a Buckley? There should be spacing between the half dollars. These did not come out of the factory with a push escalator, which leads me to believe this could be an operator or collector altered piece. It's not uncommon to strip all the paint off before repainting the machine. As long as it works well and doesn't jam up on you due to cobbled together parts, you still have a desirable half dollar machine. Top of the market on one of these is around $1,400, in my opinion.

Re: Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 10:50 am
by randyvw
i bet it's like new inside. 50c machines didn't get much play, so they are usually newish inside.

Re: Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 1:52 pm
by wboyd
Thanks for your replies. I picked them up from the owner and will be trying to sell them for him. I am trying to learn the models, and correct terminology for each machine before they go up for sale. Giving an honest description of them is important to me. Have four in all, one is a Chrome Diamond Front Mills machine, the other is a Black Cherry. All the machines have been worked on according to the owner. They all are in working order. Have another Diamond front Machine, blue in color, but diamonds are red and white, which I now feel is another altered machine, as I think the diamonds should be all red, but not sure. Thanks again for all your help. I have only looked into the insides of two of the machines, but they were both very clean. BestBet I will check on that escalator in the 50 cent machine, thank you.

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Re: Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 4:13 pm
by rtmccurdy
The 50-cent machine was also called the Club Special and would have bars on both the upper and lower castings. One normally sees the Golden Falls 50-cent with a key entry hand load jackpot. (In my limited experience with Mills 50 cent machines)

Re: Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 7:40 pm
by oldslotman
wboyd wrote:Thanks for your replies. I picked them up from the owner and will be trying to sell them for him. I am trying to learn the models, and correct terminology for each machine before they go up for sale. Giving an honest description of them is important to me. Have four in all, one is a Chrome Diamond Front Mills machine, the other is a Black Cherry. All the machines have been worked on according to the owner. They all are in working order. Have another Diamond front Machine, blue in color, but diamonds are red and white, which I now feel is another altered machine, as I think the diamonds should be all red, but not sure. Thanks again for all your help. I have only looked into the insides of two of the machines, but they were both very clean. BestBet I will check on that escalator in the 50 cent machine, thank you.

IMG_20191126_130445.jpg

Where are you located? What state?

Re: Mills Black Gold?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 11:25 pm
by wboyd
I am located in Gladwin, Michigan.