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Wondering if you could help me out by passing judgment on this unit (a purported Watling 5cent blue seal authentic). The top has three holes drilled in it and I do not know why this would be. Is this unit a fake? How would I know? If it is an original, do the three holes affect its value?

The gooseneck looks incorrect to me. The blue seals I've seen have the fat wavy coin entry. See attached picture.

My guess for those three drilled holes is that someone attached a latch on the top casting to lock the back door at some point.

I hope other forum members chime in and help.

Thanks for the info YBB. I will look to see if the three drilled holes makes sense in terms of "securing" the back panel.

If this an original that someone "modified" to secure the back panel, what is its value then? I mean it's OK as a "man cave" artifact, but it's NOT ok as a survivor. True?

It's just an original machine with 3 holes in the top casting. If it was a rare or highly desirable machine, it would be a bigger deal. The top casting has been stripped of its original paint and the goose neck slide is possibly a reproduction but for a game room machine it's fine. Machine should be in the $800 to $900 range, it is definitely not a $1000 machine.

Watlingboy

Thanks Watlingboy! It is at an antique shop near me and they are asking TOO much. However, I will probably offer them $800 and use it for my man cave and enjoy it. I am still searching for a real find to add to my collection. Thanks again!

Hey watlingboy, what's with the gooseneck? Never seen this style on any Watling model.
The "Lincoln Deluxe" and "Baby Lincoln" had a different style, as well as a couple of other
models, but this one sure looks like Mills to me. Wonder what the mechanism looks like.
It may be a 'botch job'. I would stay away from this one.

Could use a better picture but the Watling Gooseneck appears to be the older Watling type. Here are two Watlings that I have had that have the same Gooseneck from what I can tell.

Flip

That is a gooseneck style Watling used. See above posted pictures by Flipper. I stand by my previous statement.

Watlingboy

watlingboy wrote:That is a gooseneck style Watling used. See above posted pictures by Flipper. I stand by my previous statement.

Watlingboy

Yes, I stand corrected. Just because I don't have one, doesn't mean they didn't have this style gooseneck.
I later found some pix in my archives, that had this coin entry.