What is this Mills Machine (Name and Date) Real or Repro

[smokin427]

I have a Mills machine but I don't know what it is called or when it was made and if it is real or not. Can anyone identify it

[Frank]

Mills Aikens Front reproduction

[TheFatman]

What I feel you have is very possibly a repro machine made by Royal Bell. Aikens Front is the actual name if I can remember right, but more commonly known as an Extrabell. They were fairly well done but just not an original, along with the wood cabinet. But unless your a collector, and all you wanted was a working slot, if it is all working and the JP works and escalator moves the coins along, it is one of the prettier looking models to reproduce. But I am not a fan of reproductions. Depending on you state, it could also be illegal because if the machine was made with repro casting ect.. ect... it is not of a legal age for most states. But they dont really enforce that unless something else happens and they just want it for themselves. I have read about the law doing that before, only to find out the Captain has it sitting in his office as a trophy.
Dave F

[nvmos2]

It is an Extrabell; a Mills revamp kit that was produced approx 1946 to 1951.
It was sold to operators of Mills machines to update their older Mills slots and the many revampers back in the day.
It was created by Everett Eckland, who previously worked for Mills and designed the War Eagle and Roman Head.

"Aitkens Front" is an incorrect name that has stuck to it.
"If you've ever read a printed description of this machine that states that it is the 'Aitkins Front' and suggests that only a hundred were made, you should know that this tale is a fabrication. The one possible element of truth here is that "Aitkins',
whoever that may be, might have been one of the kit buyers and revampers that didn't revamp as many of these machines as others did in the same period."
(see 100 Collectible Slots, Vol 2, page 126)

It is a great looking machine.
Unfortunately, it's one of those slots that seem to have more reproductions around than surviving originals.
Royal Bell reproduced this machine and, in 1995, they were selling it in 2 colors; white and burgundy (like yours).
IMO, you have one of the reproduction machines.

[smokin427]

Thank you all for identifying my machine. I am going to try to sell it because it works great and I just wanted to know what I had.

[Anglobritish]

Hi Guy's,
The machine is indeed a Mills Extra Bell, I remember converting some of these in 1959 in the U.K. also find attached a picture of some of these machines being confiscated in 1951. I am sure nobody was doing any reproductions in those days, there was no slot machine collectors, only operators.

Freddy Bailey

[Anglobritish]

Guy's,
I think you will find that the repro models had a single cherry payout, the original Extra Bell only paid out on two cherry combinations.

The reason I remembered converting some of these all those years ago, was because when I was respraying the castings, I used to mask the scroll design with Brylcream a greasy hair cream, and then just wipe it of after the spray paint had dried, it worked.

Freddy Bailey

[JHSS-1944]

On the original machines, it will be marked (cast into ) the inside front casting "EXTRABELL" & TK (? I believe) & no other marks. but the reproductions (many of which) can have no markings (via Mexican made), or extra bell & another company name , ect. Mine is marked extrabell -AANCIENT , who made many reproductions out of Nevada (now long gone).
I paid $600.00 on mine But seen them with crazy prices too.

Pay outs on the reproductions can be either 2 cherry OR 1 cherry. type it in on Google images, you'll find tons of them.
the parts on many of these will have the Mills (mlb) part numbers stamped or cast into them. And the most common is in the 25 cent.
still a popular looking machine wanted by many , if the price is right....
jeff H.

[sam2002]

On the reproduction models the castings are narrower than the originals . In order to identify this machine you will have o compare it with an original . Some of the fakes did come with 2 cherry payout .an aitkens in 25 cent is a good find but my money says this machine is a repop .
The castings width will tell the truth

[sam2002]

Also the handle appears to be the wrong size