Mills Vest Pocket

[dialsenden1]

I found this slot machine at the local antique show. It has a unusual jackpot feature on the bottom. When you hit the jackpot, a small drawer pre-filled with coins pops open plus what you win from the payout tube.

Has anyone seen the jackpot feature before? I could find it in any of the books.

[watlingboy]

This was an after market option that was offered for sale but not by Mills. Advertising literature of the jackpot has survived and I think it may be reprinted in the brown slot advertising book. Yours is obviously original however this jackpot has been reproduced and if someone is looking at a restored machine, they should be careful.

Watlingboy

[watlingboy]

One more thing, before the recession these sold in the $2200 to $2500 range. That was for a restored one or nice original condition. Yours seems to be a little bit rough and would bring slightly less. Don't know how they have held up price wise as it has been afew years since I have seen one sell.

Watlingboy

[TJ]

You have what appears to be a genuine as described in Peter Bach's book of reproduced advertising Vest pocket with after market jackpot. Valley Specialty Co. Inc. Rochester New York July of 1943. Because these are made out of wood not many of them have survived. However now and then one of these little gems pops up. A very good friend of mine has three or four of these but it took a number of years to find them. A few years back at a COCA convention in Phoenix one came up for auction, I was able to prevail and it now sits on the bottom of my penny vest pocket. Watling boys comment about reproductions is true however I have only seen one and it was not functional, ie. It looked pretty close but no way to make it actually work the way the actual one works. If your interested in selling I would appreciate a heads up. T.J.

[dialsenden1]

Watlingboy/TJ,

Thanks for the replies and information. I should have posted better pictures but I took them with my cell phone. Yes, the label on the inside on the drawer says Valley Specialty Co. The label and wood are in nice original condition and missing just a little paint.

The jackpot does work. It took me a little while to figure out exactly how the jackpot works but when I stopped the reels on the jackpot symbols then the small arm pushed the jackpot lever and popped open the jackpot drawer. Very Neat.

Here's a picture of the inside label. Given it's condition, I don't think the jackbot was used much.

I do need the back door in green paint, Does anyone have one?