New Pickup in MD - 5 cent Rol A Top

[Mendozaco]

This is my first Rol A Top in my collection. I put all my guns and I went forward and paid $2500. The serial number is 89256 and is marked on the right wood panel. Is this serial number correct? There is another serial number on top in the aluminum panel. It is currently not working but I do not think it will take much to get it running. I do want to keep it at its current condition. Should I redo the metal and keep the wood as it is or do I reduce its value if I restore it.

I hope i made the right choice to buy this slot machine. How did I do? Any comments or suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[watlingboy]

Check the serial number on the bottom left wood block under the sub base. 89256 is too early for this machine. This is a post war machine, Your 89256 serial would indicate late forties, recheck your number. Sometimes stamped 8's and 9's can look the same. Those numbers on the back bonnet are patent numbers. Your machine has been repainted at sometime in its life and the wood sides have been redone so if you want to redo it, you won't hurt the value. Normally restoring a nice unrestored slot of any kind does hurt the value. I think you paid a fair price for your machine so redo it or leave as is, your choice. Most important thing is.......enjoy it!

Watlingboy

[TheFatman]

I am looking at what I think might be the Treasury model but an not an expert on the Watling machines as you will surely find here. I do know this, pretty sure the colors are about right and would not strip the cabinet or casting unless there is more damaging or missing paint that I can see. You are so much closer to the original than you are to a repainted or restored unit. Clean it up a little and enjoy the originality of this machine. Stripping and repainting, can, in mine and many others opinion, can take away so much of the history and life of the machine. If you just want a shinny brand new looking machine to go on a shelf, buy that type of redone machine. Plenty of them out there. Otherwise, your machine looks great to a collector or even just a person who loves and OLD machine, so dont make it look new, but keep it in its old patina and original luster. Very beautiful to look at, and even more to own and play,
Dave F

[watlingboy]

In my previous post, I meant to say the 89256 serial would indicate late 30's production, I accidently said late 40's.

Watlingboy

[TheFatman]

I agree . .... since it is not my area and from the posts and feedback I have seen over the years from you ... as far as I am concerned, your opinion on Watlings are gospel. I am wondering.... the handle, it is pitted lightly. My opinion would be is to not re-plate it but use a 0000 steel wool (pronounced 4 ought) and just bring back what you can. A nickle re-plateing would put it out of balance with the rest of the machine.
Very nice find in my book.
Dave F

[Mendozaco]

The correct serial number is 98256. I transposed the first two numbers.

Thank you pals for the valuable information and the words of comfort. I been looking for a Rol A Top for the past 6 years in my local auctions and as of today this is the first one that I seen in the MD and VA area. I'm overall excited with the new addition but having trouble getting the reels from spinning. Do you know a good book to help with trouble shooting this issue?

[nvmos2]

Great find; looks like it's in very good condition for an unrestored machine.

Hate to bring it up again, but where did you find the serial number 98256?
Is it on the sticker inside the cabinet (in your photo, the number is unreadable)?
Did you find the number stamped in the wood as stated by Watlingboy (the wood block by cash box compartment)?

The reason I ask;
in your 2nd to last photo, there is a number stamped into the wood along top edge by coin return slot;
it looks like 98525.

[mechanic]

What you have is a put together machine. The cabinet is from a Watling Castle Front post war 1948. Pictures 6&7 show the cabinet without the routed lines that should be on all side panels. The other if you zoom in on the bottom right shows the ply wood laminations. So you have a prewar mech and a post war wood cabinet. This may or may not have been done by some operator as they were known to do such things. It is all original just not as made.

[Mendozaco]

Mvmos2 how can you see that? What are you? Superman.
I agree with the serial number 98525. Here are two pictures to help us identify the number. One is from the side panel and the other is from the back door right column.

Watlingboy and Thefatman, thank you for your help and advice I truly appreciate it.

[watlingboy]

Time to put this one to bed. Firstly, this is not an unrestored machine, as previously mentioned by others, the front castings have been repainted and the wood sides redone. If it was repainted yesterday or 50 years ago, it is not an unrestored original finish machine. This is not a knock against the machine, just a statement of fact. If the owner likes the fact that the machine has an aged look to it and wants to keep it, fine, if he wants to redo it, fine. You are not taking an unrestored machine and restoring it.

In addition, this is not a put together machine. It left the factory just like it is. Everything on the machine matches. If it was a prewar mech, it wouldn't pay on 1 cherry or have paper strips.

Looks like the fiber gear in your clock is stripped. Not sure why they used fiber gears. A number of years ago, a guy made brass replacements. I should have bought all he had but I didn't. I do not have a replacement but the clocks do come up for sale. I'm sure you'll enjoy your new purchase when you get it fixed.

Congrats,

Watlingboy