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Watling Treasury at VCA auction

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:56 am
by bakerb95619
I just got back from the VCA auction in Las Vegas, Yesterday a restored Watling Tresury sold for $2000. This seems liek an extremely low price. Can anyone tell me why this sold for such a low price? Is it a reproduction?

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=28272&item=190247261356

Treasury

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:42 am
by watlingboy
There are lots and lots of reproduction Treasury slots out there. I didn't see the machine but the chance of a real Treasury slipping through for
$2000 is very slim. My guess is repro.

Watlingboy

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:17 pm
by bakerb95619
Thanks. Are there any easy ways to tell a reproduction Treasury from a real one?

PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:38 pm
by Dave
bakerb95619 wrote:Thanks. Are there any easy ways to tell a reproduction Treasury from a real one?


I have been told that an original Treasury mechanism will reject the 2nd coin when you put it in after the 1st coin and don't pull the handle.

I think it is unlikely that an original mechanism would be on a machine with fake castings.

Dave

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:25 pm
by bakerb95619
How about Roll-A-Top's? What should I look for to determine if it's a reproduction model (besides the price)?
Thanks again

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:02 pm
by Dave
bakerb95619 wrote:How about Roll-A-Top's? What should I look for to determine if it's a reproduction model (besides the price)?
Thanks again


Most fake Rol-A-Tops are easy to find because the people who made them did a horrible job.

First, they don't have the Rol-A-Top escalator. Instead, they just have a button or a bunch of coins glued in the window. The mechanism is probably some kind of gooseneck mechanism (like you would see on a Poinsettia)

Second, the castings of the reproductions that I have seen are pretty bad quality. Look at the coins and see how sharp they are.

Third, look at the handle. They usually have a club handle, but the handle is not a straight rod (like a Watling club handle should be) but instead a bent rod. I have never seen a fake Rol-A-Top with the sword style handle.

Fourth, look at the back door. The fakes won't have an original back door.

Fifth, look at the cash box, it won't be an original cash box.

Sixth, look at the inside of the cabinet, you won't see any sign of the original stickers