1910 Mills Slot Machine

4/12/2022 admin

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1910 Mills Slot Machine Rating: 9,9/10 2182 votes

Tearing down the Escalator from my Mills Black Cherry Slot Machine for cleaning. Vintage 1910 MILLS Slot Machine Hi Top coin op Chicago casino antique 25 Cent. Free local pickup. Watch; Vintage MILLS BELL-O-MATIC Howard Johnson’s 5 Cent 3 Reel SLOT MACHINE -WORKS-Pre-Owned. Free local pickup. Watch; Vintage Mills Slot Machine 7-7-7.25 Cent.

1949 Mills High Top 7-7-7 25c Slot Machine

It seems like almost every week or so I receive a call from an excited individual telling me they have a slot machine from 1910! Typically these calls result in the owner describing a Mills Novelty slot machine from the 1930’s or 1940’s. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with a machine from the 30’s or 40’s, it’s usually a bit of a disappointment to the owner that their machine is not quite as old as they thought.

So why do so many people think their slot machine was made in 1910? Typically slot machine manufactures did not put a date on their machines, inside or out. What they would do is put trademark or copyright information on certain parts of the machine that were designed by that particular company. Mills Novelty put a copyright date of 1910 under the jackpot bar which said Bell-Fruit-Gum on the reel strips. Mills Novelty kept that information on their reel strips well into the 1950’s. Below is a close-up of the reel strips on a Mills 7-7-7 High Top slot machine we restored. The copyright date is clear, but this machine was made in 1949.

1910 Copyright Date example on a Mills 1949 High Top 7-7-7

The reason I decided to write a brief blog about this was because of a call we received this past January. A wonderfully nice young lady called and immediately told me she had a 1910 Mills slot machine she was interested in selling. Before I could start into my well practiced diatribe of why her slot machine was not made in 1910 she said the following, “the machine says Operator Bell on the front”………

As a dealer and collector of slot machines there are a few key slot machine names that perk my ears up. Notably Liberty Bell and Operators Bell will stop me in my tracks. As the owner described to me the machine, I knew she really did have a machine made in 1910! One of the wonderful things about being a full time professional dealer in a specialized field of antiques such as slot machines is getting calls like this. While this model is by no means the holy grail of slot machines, it is a special one!

The owner of the machine had found it at a garage sale on the east coast and was inquiring about its value. It always amazes me and sparks my imagination how these great old machines have survived all this time to then be turned up in a garage sale or behind a wall in an old house or building. Pre-World War 1 machines are difficult to find because they were usually made of cast iron and scrapped for their metal during both World War 1 and World War 2. They are also relatively fragile and once the cast iron case is broken, they were discarded.

After talking with the lucky lady who found this machine, we struck a deal. It was a real pleasure to do business with someone and share with them the excitement of finding an early and valuable slot machine like this one. On occasion we will get calls on early slot machines made by Caille, Watling and Mills, but one that was made on that almost annoying date of 1910 was a real treat and a great start to our year. The machine is a very nice original example and one that will be a lifelong reminder not to cut people off when they tell me they have a 1910 slot machine!

As a side note, the holy grail of 3 reel slot machines is the Liberty Bell made by Fey in San Francisco, CA at the turn of the 20^th Century. By all means PLEASE CALL ME (Don Creekmore) at 316-371-1828 if you have one of these, I would love to sit it next to the Operator Bell!www.YourGameroom.com
www.GameRoomAntiques.com 1910 Mills Slot Machine

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Original Bursting Cherry
Mills Slot Machine

This one cent slot machine is a 1930s original slot machine made by the Mills Novelty Company

It a fully working jackpot. It is beautifully restored and especially attractive.

Firm Price: $2495 plus $245 shipping<2250FZ>

For more information, send an e-mail to: durham@GameRoomAntiques.com
or call Ken Durham on 202-213-1585.

$2495

Original Watling
Cherry Roll A Top Slot Machine

This 25 cent slot machine is a 1930s original slot machine made by the Watling Company

It is beautifully restored and especially attractive.

Firm Price: $7500 plus $245 shipping<6850FZ>

For more information, send an e-mail to: durham@GameRoomAntiques.com
or call Ken Durham on 202-213-1585.

$7500

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For more information, send an e-mail to: durham@GameRoomAntiques.com

Additional Information

Please email or phone us if you have any questions about any of the merchandise on our web site. Since slots have to be professionally packaged and may be from other collectors, we are unable to make refunds or exchanges. We want to be sure that you know what you are buying before you purchase from us. We'll be glad to answer your questions and send additional photos.

*What are Contemporary Slot Machines

Some slot enthusiasts want to know why a slot that was originally made in the 1930s is labeled as a contemporary slot.

Over the years slot collectors have made exact replacement parts in order to fix or restore a slot machine. Today a collector has access to replacement parts for the entire machine for some slot machine models.

A contemporary slot machine would consist of 80-100% of replacement parts. The slot would then be fully restored and tested to assure that it works as well as a slot that came off the factory line.

A contemporary slot generally costs $1000 -$2000 less than a slot that has very few replacement parts.

If your primary goal is to play and enjoy a slot machine with a 1930s or 1940s look, then a contemporary slot makes sense for you.

If your primary goal is to own a slot that was made in the 1930s, and has very few replacement parts, then spending the extra $1000-2000 makes sense for you and we would advise against buying a contemporary slot.

Contemporary slot machines are generally more readily available than other slot machines. It is extremely hard to determine whether a slot machine is a contemporary model or not.

Most dealers, especially on Ebay or at an auction, will not tell you. If you see a restored 1930s or 1940s style slot machine priced under $3000, it is probably a contemporary machine.

Go to

Contemporary Slot Machines currently for sale.

Go to

Mills and Jennings Slot Machines web page for slots made during the 1920s – 1950s.

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