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Most seasoned coin-op collectors that have been in this hobby for a reasonable amount of time, are well aware of the many reproduction Slot Machines that have been flooding the market for many years. Even tho a couple were being done as early as the late 70’s, the brunt of it all started in the mid-80’s. There were even a handful of Trade Stimulators that have been repro’d in the past. I have no problem with some of the repro's
that are being done, (WhizBall, 3&5 Jacks, etc.), as long as they are being advertised as such, and priced accordingly. Also, let me clarify the difference between Repro & Bogus. As most of you know, a Reproduction is a totally NEW machine, (with the exception of an orig. mech. in a Slot). Not to mention the recent Watling "B of P" with the Mills mechanism!
A Bogus machine, is one that has been changed to make up a more desirable model. Many times, not using the correct case design, and parts. Also, a machine that has been made up, that never was manufactured.

The people that get hurt the most with these Bogus machines, are the new collectors that have been coming into the hobby on a regular basis. Ever since eBay began, it opened up a whole new market, for distribution of phoney’s, to unsuspecting buyers that have not done their homework before bidding.

It has now become time to inform collectors of the many Bogus Trade Stims. Most of which that have been showing up in the past two years. The following, are a few small examples.

Groetchen “TAVERN� ----- Several years ago, there weren’t many Tavern’s known
in collections. Now there are a very large number. Many of which are being made up from other models. Groetchen made several different machine variations, using the same case style. Four of them have removable cast name plates on the top casting – “Tavern�, “Ball Gum�, “The Bartender�, and “The Fortune Teller�. The others have the name as part of the top casting – Most of which are the “Penny Smoke�, and another variation with “Ball Gum�. What is being done to make up the phoney Tavern, is either the removal of the other Ball Gum plate, or milling the cast-in name off the others, to make a smooth area for the the new recast Tavern nameplate. Also, the Tavern was only produced with the front casting having a 3 vertical bar design to the right of the award card area. Some have shown up with the flowery broach design to the right, and most of that design had the award card frame as part of the front casting, and was not the
removable 4 screw frame style. Then of coarse, they will all have reproduction reel strips & award card. In the past few years, I have sold 16 sets of repro reel strips and cards to the same person. That’s an absolute clue as to what has been going on. These phoney’s are only being done to demand a higher price for the sought-after Tavern model. I have even talked to a couple of seasoned collectors, that have been snookered with a phoney. Two have the wrong front casting.

Buckley “BALL GUM� ----- Most of these are being made up from the more common
“Cent-A-Pack� model. The etched nameplate, which is pinned to the top casting, is removed. All of these models say “Ball Gum� in the casting, under the plate. Then a recast large jackpot is mounted on the front. The original set of cigarette
strips & card are removed, and a set of repro fruit symbol strips installed. Now you have the more desirable Buckley “Jackpot Ball Gum�, to rake in the higher figure.

Garden City “BAR BOY� ----- These are being done by removing the cast “Gem� nameplate, and replacing with a recast “Bar Boy� plate. The original cigarette
strips & award card is removed, and cut-up reworked repro Tavern reel strips are replaced. These Tavern strips are nothing like the original beer symbol strips that were original to the Bar Boy. Besides, the Bar Boy is a 4 reel machine, and had an odds reel. The Gem is a 3 reeler. The most recent Bogus Bar Boy, was at the last Chicago show, and never sold. It was then placed on eBay twice, and never hit the reserve either time. Now, the same machine is in the Victorian Casino Auction, this coming weekend. Also, the Bar Boy never came in RED. It’s a shame that some poor unsuspecting sole will end up with this piece of crap! If you are going to the auction, watch out for Lot no. 234.

Groetchen “SPARKS� with the star pattern front casting ----- I have seen a couple of these with repro cut-up Tavern strips as well. Some of these models did have beer symbol strips, but they are slightly different, as the Sparks reels are a smaller diameter than the Tavern. So, you don’t just take a single snip out of the longer strip, and hope that the symbols will line up. It’s not that simple.

Another big clue as to what has been going on, is most all of the original reel strips, nameplates, etc., that have been taken off these perfectly good original machines, have also been placed on eBay. This is only good, for a collector that has a machine with missing parts, but doesn’t mend the sore of bastardizing a good original machine to do so.

I have even seen a made-up wood case dice machine, with a phoney top card, on eBay, and even had the audacity to put an Exibit Supply decal on the case, to try and make it look factory. “Close, but no cigar�!

If any of our true collectors have any additional machines that are questionable, and want to add them to this list, feel free to contribute. We need to get the word out to as many new collectors as possible, so that they do not loose interest in the hobby before they even get started. I have personally talked to two people that had been snookered with Bogus counter games, and were going to get out.
We don’t need this in our hobby. Help stop it now, before it gets too far out-of-hand.

Bill Whelan – Slot Dynasty Restorations

[cpdretired]

Bill I'm not bidding on this but is this a Groetchen Tavern?
http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190033724091

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