Reputable Antique Slot Dealers in DFW Area

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Reputable Antique Slot Dealers in DFW Area

Postby LoneStarTim » Thu Jan 30, 2020 12:11 pm

Hi,

I have been a member of coinopcollector forum for a couple of years. I have spent my time reading up on the various aspects of owning a Antique Mechanical Slot Machine. I would love to become a collector but need some help, my initial budget for an entry level nicely restored Mills War Eagle or Pace authentic machine is $2,000. Is that a realistic number or will I need to keep saving? Also, my takeaway from reading and learning on this forum is that there are a lot of reproduction (fake) machines out there and I would much prefer a purchase of an legitimate slot from a reputable dealer. Thanks for your time.

LST
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Re: Reputable Antique Slot Dealers in DFW Area

Postby atac » Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:53 pm

There aren't a ton of "storefront" dealers around. There are certainly collectors in the DFW area. Barring you getting a great response to your initial post, I think you should use ebay and craigslist etc to find machines you like and query the forum as to authenticity, value, red-flags, etc. Forum members seem quite responsive to those queries. Or post what you're looking for in the Machines Wanted section and query members on your responses. I think if you are patient you will be able to find a decent legitimate war eagle and certainly most any Pace machine for less than $2000. Things that also matter are condition and completeness--simple things like original back door, back door lock, cash box add up in a hurry if they are missing. Other things you might not be aware of if you're a novice is 10-stop machines vs. 20-stop machines. Most 1910-1960 machines had 20 symbols on each reel, but earlier than about 1930 the mechanism only stopped on every other symbol (10-stop) and after that the mechs were refined to stop on all symbols (20-stop). 20-stop machines are better for playing, but some 10-stop are very collectible. I'd recommend 20-stop for your first machine. Early war eagles were 10-stop and later were 20-stop. Most Pace Fancy Front's are 10-stop, and most if not all Pace Comets are 20-stop machines. You can be educated by throwing machines you find in your search to the forum with your questions and concerns and seeing what responses you get. There's a wealth of knowledge and willingness to help in the members of the forum.
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Re: Reputable Antique Slot Dealers in DFW Area

Postby atac » Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:56 pm

I did just take a quick look at Dallas Craigslist and there's one reproduction war eagle posted there and I didn't see any antique machines at all. But be patient. They are out there and coming out of the basements, garages and barns every day.
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Re: Reputable Antique Slot Dealers in DFW Area

Postby randyvw » Fri Jan 31, 2020 12:37 am

as i recall, the first 20-stop. or "silent" mechanisms started in 1932. the book "how to buy a slot machine" by david saul is a wealth of information. i highly recommend everyone interested at all in slots to read it. it's out of print, but should be able to be found on ebay. one way to avoid reproductions is to collect machines that aren't widely reproduced. the war eagle IS highly reproduced. a great looking machine, but since there are so many repros out there, the prices are lower than if there weren't any being made any more. you will pay more for a harder to find machine, but that's what collectors are looking for, and when you resell it, you'll have a machine more people want. i personally enjoy a machine with lots of features, like mint vendor, metal reel strips, future-pay, fortune telling reel strips....gold award. for example, i have a 1932 mills F.O.K. with mint vendor and fortune reel strips in nice original condition for 1900 dollars right now. that's what i would be looking for in your place, but i don't know what "turns you on", so how can i be so bold?....just my 2 cents...
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