Please.......Not to feel so bad!
Many of us have had bad experiences when we first started collecting. For me, it was 'grab anything that takes a coin,
and pays out'. Glitzy or Grubby. Anything can be fixed, Right? The big difference between me as a newbie, as apposed to the present day newbie, is when I
started to collect machines, there was No-Such-Thing as Repro and Electronic slots. But, there were other ways to get burned, only not as harsh. The only
educational advice that we were exchanging then, was 'Who made this, and who made that', and what special features that one of us had, and the other
didn't. I also bought a few electro-mechanicals from time to time, as they became available after casino-use, just to have fun with, but have since sold all
but three. Two are Dice machines, (which I have always favored), and the other, a Raven "Keno" out of Harrah's, of which they didn't make a large number.
These three machines will be on the auction block before too long, as I need their spaces for the more-preferred Victorian Uprights.
I am surprised you are having a problem finding a good 10c machine. There are plenty out there, and many collectors steer away from dime machines, as
certain models are noted for jamming, because of the thin coinage. But that really boils down to proper care & adjustment. I've only had one dime machine
that had a jamming problem, and it was a HighTop. One good thing about dime machines, is they are not machines that were repro'd. The 'ONE KEY BIT OF
ADVICE' that we have to educate all new collectors with, is STAY AWAY from Glitzy-looking, and Restored Quarter machines, unless an expert can guarantee
it is definitely an original. And that doesn't mean trusting an eBay description that says "they had a slot machine expert tell them it is all original". There
might be a case or two that is an honest quote, but from my past experience with eBay 'Experts', is most don't know their A.F.A.H.I.T.G.!
Good luck with all your future purchases. But when in doubt, ask your friends in this Forum.