CoinOpCollectorForum.com

I've been interested in slot machines for years and have finally decided to get one for myself. After checking online I decided on a War Eagle. I ran across Daves video on repro/fake War Eagles and realized I would not be able to tell the original from the fake with any reliability. After watching his video, I looked at a few online sellers and it seemed even I could pick out a couple of possible fakes. But that is a maybe.

So here is my question. What advice and/or direction can those of you on the forum who have years and decades of experience in this field give to someone like me, with zero knowledge, who only wants to get one machine? I do want an original unit that can be played occasionally and displays nicely.

Thanks,
Mark

Welcome to the forum.

99% of the fakes do not have an original back door / lock. The reason is original doors and locks are expensive.

If the machine you are looking at has an original door and lock then that is a good sign.

If you have concerns about a particular machine send me an email via the forum and I will be happy to give you my opinion.

Dave

Thank you Dave. I appreciate the help. I'll be contacting you soon.

Mark

Hi Mark, and welcome to our Forum.
First of all, thank you for listing your location. I see that you are not that far from me. Just over the bridge a ways.
Hopefully, I may be able to assist you in your first purchase, and see that you end up with a nice original, and not
one of the numerous reproductions, or sloppy patch-jobs. The "War Eagle" has always been a popular machine with
most collectors. You made a good choice, so let us see if we can guide you to a nice original, as they are out there,
so you have to be a bit patient. Who knows, you may want another, after getting hooked. Glad that Dave's videos
helped you out. That's a good start.
One other thing while I think of it. I hope you do not take a fancy to any "Golden Nugget" machine. The real McCoys
are very few, and very expensive, and do not turn up very often. And 99.9% of the examples listed on eBay, antique
shops, and live auctions, are complete 'FAKES'. Most sellers will give you a long BS story, about how original they are,
knowing full-well, what they are offering. Then there are the others, that don't really know what they are offering,
because they got snookered with incorrect information when they bought it. Plus, most asking prices are way out of
line for what they are.
Bill

Sounds good Bill. I think in this situation taking my time will be my best bet. And I'm sure just one machine will do it. Unless this works the same as golf.... You know, ooh, that club is a bit different than the 8 I already have...

Mark

You have been warned...Coin-op machines are like Lays potato chips.....