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I purchased two slot machines today.

Mills 5c poinsettia. Looks to be in good working order.
How do I figure out how old it is? How much is it worth?
Serial 2431xx

WATLING 10c treasury. Looks to be in good working order as well. How old is it and what’s it worth?
Pat no 1763841
Can’t find a serial number on it.

Any info on them would be much appreciated.

Need the serial numbers for the age. Worth 1000 to 1500 each.

The best you can do on dating is a close approximation.
I'd put the Mills at 1929-30.
Looks to have been nicely refurbished except for using Jennings reel strips.

I can’t find a coin later than early 1980s in either machine. Is that when the refurbishing was done? Or just a coincidence?

I think I’m going to keep one and sell one. Which one should I keep? Or just personal preference?

Keep the Treasury

I would keep the Watling Treasury, as it's more valuable and worth more than the Mills Poinsettia. At the Chicagoland shows, the Treasury sells for more than the Mills machine, usually in the $2500+ range if working and restored (and also has a Treasury, not a Watling Blue Seal mechanism in it, as there are some differences).

mazzeosa17 wrote:I would keep the Watling Treasury, as it's more valuable and worth more than the Mills Poinsettia. At the Chicagoland shows, the Treasury sells for more than the Mills machine, usually in the $2500+ range if working and restored (and also has a Treasury, not a Watling Blue Seal mechanism in it, as there are some differences).

How do you tell the difference between the two?

I'm surprised that one of the Watling experts hasn't chimed in yet but with just a cursory look the Treasury looks suspicious. Repro cash box, non original reel strips, missing mechanism parts, too clean interior to the wood cabinet, etc. Certainly more pictures are needed like the front of the mechanism and front of the jackpot area. Inside pic of the castings may reveal whether they are reproductions also.

Reel strips on the mills poinsettia are OD Jennings. How much did you pay for these machines?

Robert,
The guy who bought the Treasury didn’t ask if it was real or a repro. I don’t like to find fault with someone’s machine and make them feel bad about their purchase unless they ask. Everyone should do their homework and don’t take the word of the seller unless you know him. I guess he is asking about the machine with his comment, Which one should I keep? Ŵould need to see a couple more photos but castings and cabinet are repro. Doubtful it would have an original mech.
George