Mills Future Play Castle Front Pictures and Owners

[markymarkuk]

Hi Guys,

Just wondered if anyone is the owner of the Mills Future Play Golden Vendor type machine. This was a Castle Front (painted red, instead of usual blue), with the addition of the Future Play box on top. I'm currently researching for a new book due to be published in 2013. This particular model is proving very elusive. There is a fantastic explanation on YouTube by VintageSlots, but as yet I've been unable to track down an owner.
What I'm after are some high definition photos of the machine and it's workings, the top future play unit, and the held winnings part. If anyone can help I'd really appreciate your pictures, and any anecdotes regarding the machine. Full copyright credits will be given in the book to you and any "plugs" if your a business.

Many thanks in advance

Mark

[nvmos2]

Wow; that is a really an interesting machine!!!!!

I never paid much attention to this model until this post;
obviously, Dave had one at one time;
don't know if he still has it, but it would be a premier example for your book.

You are correct in saying that he has a fantastic video of this machine on YouTube;
it is an excellent explanation of how the "bells and whistles" work;
highly recommended for anyone learning the Mills mech!
That guy is amazing; and would love to see a video walk-thru of his entire collection (hint,hint).

Hope you find one for your book;
if you do, and it's for sale,
let me know;
I'd gladly trade my Castle Front and a few bucks for it!

[Mills]

I have a front castle and the futur pay kit. But I don't have the right back bonnnet ! If somebody know where I can find an original back bonnet (not a repro)....
A question for Dave. In the video I saw written on the jackpot flag 65 coins. So it would seem than jackpot is deffered ? How work the defered jackpot payement ?
Same question for the gold award....

On the pictures, you can see on my jackpot flag is written only 20...

[watlingboy]

Approximately 25 or 30 years ago, more than thirty 55 gallon drums of parts were found in Columbia, South Carolina. They were all Mills and Jennings parts. Included in them were at least if not more, 15 Mills deferred pay units for the back bonnet, some were still mounted on bonnets. These were bought at the early Fun Fairs and put on machines, usually War Eagles or Castle Fronts. So the majority of machines out with the deferred unit are probably from this find as this is a very rare machine. The Mills original literature, reprinted in Buschel's Lemons, Cherries and Bellfruit, states the fact that the jackpot and the gold award were also deferred. I have never seen a machine where this is still intact, has anyone else? The Watlings I've seen with deferred pay don't hold back the jackpot either but it must have existed because you will sometimes see the funnel in the bottom casting have a slit in it where a deferred pay slide would have gone, no other reason for the slot to be there. To get around the law, which was the only purpose of the deferred pay, it would have to hold back all pays to make the machine legal. One of the red Castle Fronts sold at the last VCA auction but it is unkown how orignal it is. Maybe someone else knows about this machine or has seen a machine where jackpot was deferred also.

Watlingboy

[watlingboy]

One other quick note on the Mills Future pay machines. Most of the people who put the future pay units on their slots forgot one thing. All original futrure pay machines, that I have ever seen, don't have an award card. Look at the Jennings Dutch Boy/Dutch Girl future pay, no award card. The laws were written to describe a gambling device as a machine that when a shown combination of symbols were hit a reward would be paid. So the manfacturers made a slot that was devoid of an award card and paid a reward on the next pull. The no award card holds true for Mills, Jennings and Watling. In all cases only a number appears in a window, showing what you will receive on the next pull with no explaination.

Watlingboy

[markymarkuk]

thanks Watlingboy, that made for real interesting reading. My own research has been so hard to come by for this Future Play gimmick, as I mentioned, Dave's YouTube is the most informative I have found.
Again, if anyone has pictures hi res or own personal views and knowledge of this rare gimmick please let me know.
really appreciated.

Mark

[Dave]

Sorry for being absent from the forum for so long.

I had to make a run out to CA to drop off an upright I just bought and also to pick up my latest find (photos to be posted later).

Regarding the red Castle Front with future pay. That machine is not mine however I know quite a bit about it. I happen to have a War Eagle which has the same feature. The collector who owned the red Castle Front sold it along with most of his machines at the last VCA auction. I tried to buy the red Castle Front as well as several other machines over a year ago. The owner turned down my offer and decided to roll the dice and run them through the auction. I went to the VCA auction with the intention of trying to buy some of them. However, when I saw the Caille Gum Vendor with music I set my sites on that machine. I ended up getting the Caille and also bought a golf ball machine.

Watlingboy is correct. All the Mills Castle Fronts and War Eagles that I have seen do not defer the jackpot or the gold award payout.

It is interesting to note that the future pay indicator says 20 when a jackpot is hit. One would guess that is should say JP if the machines were designed to defer the jackpot as well as the 20 coin tube pay. In addition, I have no idea how the machine could indicate a deferred gold award since the gold award detection system is completely different than the other pays. Deferring the gold award pay would also be a challenge since the gold award goes down a separate shoot.

Regarding no award card on future pay machines. I have a Center Pull which has the deferred pay feature and it does have an award card. I have never seen a Center Pull with the deferred pay and an award card that does not show the paying combinations.

I was at a collectors house last week and he had a Caille gum vendor (similar to the one I just purchased). His machine had deferred pay (mine does not) and his award card did indicate how much you won for the various combinations.

Dave

[watlingboy]

I should have been more specific. The pre WWI machines are different. Most did have award cards but usually stated that you would receive gum checks or trade checks. I don't think the laws were that sophisticated in the early days. The 1920's and 1930's were when the laws got much more specific and the manufactures got more creative. Regarding Caille machines, I have 2 unrestored Caille machines with deferred pay, a 4 column vender and a center pull, neither have an award card. In the brown Dan Post book that has all the advertising in it, on page 14 and 23, there are two ads for center pulls and neither have award cards. The other problem is that once a machine is restored, you don't know what happened to it. And as we all know, operators also did a lot of messing with machines themselves. But maybe the Caille machines are the exception.

Watlingboy

[markymarkuk]

What a great read from you two guys. Found it really interesting. Just need to get some pics of ANY future play bits!!! Lets hope I manage to purchase a machine this year that has some kind of Future Play mech!
btw Dave did you get the reel strip template I sent?

[nvmos2]

Ref; How does the future pay feature work on a jackpot?

In Slot Machines on Parade, the author describes how he restored a Castle Front.
He says the machine started out as an OK (future pay) machine with side vender; a gold award was added later.
The future pay indicator showed 65 tokens for a JP.
According to the author;
"The 65 coin payout is achieved by having 20 coins drop from payout tube and 45 coins from the reserve JP (the main jackpot was mechanically left open, and the reserve JP, which nominally holds 45 coins, is always one play behind the JP making it future play by design).

I assume those future pay indicators that show 20 coins for 3 bars were for use on machines with no JP mechanism.

He "restored" the machine with the gold award feature (and award card), coins (rather than tokens) in both main and reserve JPs and painted blue.
He does not say if it was originally a red front.