How much do you think the Mills Roulette will bring.

[Operator Bell]

Some machines went for prices that made my eyes water, but others went for more like ebay prices, which seemed to me a lot lower than in previous years. A few odd machines went to internet or phone biders who are going to be horrified when they see what they paid so much for.

[PA23]

For kicks, I just grabbed one of my father's old auction catalogs from an auction I went to with him when I was a teenager. This was from the "Collectors' Carrousel" Thursday December 4th through Saturday December 6, 1980 it was held at Sotherby's York Avenue Galleries.

some examples:

5¢ Futurity good original $3,000
10¢ War Eagle- partial restoration $1,400
5¢ Rol-a-top (gold plated castings) $3,500 (I guess that was popular then)
5¢ Columbia original condition $550
5¢, 10¢, 25¢ Mills Castle front $1,200, $1,100, & $1,300 respectively.
5¢ Mills Liberty Bell restored $5,000
5¢ Watling Cherry front with diamond jackpot and the original shipping crate - $,3500
Caille 5¢ Centar 25¢ Big Six double one-wheel slot machine in an upright case - $20,000

Am I missing something or has the price of these machines stayed pretty much the same for the last 27+ years?

[Coin Ops]

It appears that most three-reelers have hit a price plateau. It seems like only the really good stuff like uprights continue to increase in value. Of course, dice machines are priced through the roof right now.

Trade stimulators have also steadily increased over the last 10 years, if you compare the old auction prices, but they also seem to be leveling off now.

[Operator Bell]

Most of the 3-reelers went for around $1500. That's very much less than previous years when most everything fetched over $2000. I was actually able to afford something this year (usually I just have to watch). There were some steals, like lot 384 (ebay 190199714767), a Jennings mint vendor that went for $800 (most of the lots and prices can be looked up on ebay, so the ebay references are more useful than the lot numbers).

There were two similar Jennings Chiefs with hunting fronts, the 5c model went for $1900 but the $1 model fetched $8500 (ebay 190199711502, 190199712834). Rolatops fetched $5500 (bird of paradise), $3500 (castle front) and $2600 (cherry front) but a Watling color match wheel machine fetched $22,000 (ebay 190199715581).

There was a reproduction War Eagle, it fetched just $180, and a genuine one that sold for $2500 (190199734820, 190199736320). I gotta tell you, it was hard to tell the difference just by looking. Maybe the repro was a bit cleaner and less chipped. (edit: the fake escalator would have been a giveaway, but I didn't notice). This underlines the importance of being very, very careful on ebay!

The oddest sale (that I'm aware of) was a Mills/Pace gooseneck on a scissor stand, lot 806, ebay 190199736320. It was bought by a dealer (edit, collector from California) I know slightly, who told me he only wanted the stand, not the machine.

[PA23]

Let me play the Devil's advocate, I think the plateau was hit in the 1980's and with the availability of the newer machines for only a few hundred dollars with all kinds of flashing lights who wants an old machine sitting in the corner? I think people want to feel like they are in a modern casino and Mills, Jennings, Watling, Pace etc just don't cut it.

You probably enjoy the machine for a few reasons
1) Makes a nice conversation piece
2) You find it fascinating as to how the machine(s) work
3) you enjoy fixing the machine when it breaks or jams
4) ??

Look who the current buyers are of the machines now, the 30 to 40 (maybe 50?) something crowd, these people grew up playing pinball, first EM machines then later Solid state machines, the younger people from this group played strictly video games, and heaven forbid they get grease on their fingers trying to fix a machine, and without the flashing lights to keep the attention of the player they get bored real fast.

Plus it just goes to show you how depressed the market is when even the reproduction machine sold for less than $200! I would have expected $500 to $700!

I hope I'm wrong, I have enough desirable machines to make a lot of collectors jealous, but I would also like to know that I could sell the machines one day if I were to every need the cash.