Cardinal trade stimulator real or repro??

[jake1708]

Hi, have been offered this trade stimulator but am unsure if it is original or not? Any info would be be greatly appreciated.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

image.jpeg

Hi, have been offered this trade stimulator but am unsure if it is original or not? Any info would be be greatly appreciated.

Jake:
This machine is very Iffy. Even though the castings look good, they could still be recasts. Other than a couple of
small dark spots, it doesn't appear to have ever been painted, which is how it would have come from the factory.
The castings could have been chemically striped, but have not been bead-blasted, otherwise they would be dull.
The holes where the coin entry plate goes, do not appear drilled out. It does look to have original reels inside.
This also could have been an original machine, that had some broken castings, and someone recast some or all,
to make it complete. It is hard to give you a more accurate answer, without seeing more pics. If you can send
pics of the sides, and the back, showing the mechanism, I can tell you more.
Send to my personal e-mail at (slotdynasty@sbcglobal.net) Bill

[jake1708]

I will try and get some pictures for you and email them across. Did they make the pace cardinals without a gumball vendor as I have never seen one before?

[altort]

You have an unusual machine here, besides the castings that look to have never been painted, no gum ball window and dispenser is a casting that I have never seen before also the top casting is different to the left of thebreels instead of having the words "Pull knob below for gum" it just has "For amusement only" that I havent seen before, this is defenately one worth taking a close look at maybe Bill as seen this before and has has pictures in his files, if you get more pictures can you post them?

[nvmos2]

In 100 Trade Stimulators, Vol 1, page 81, Dick B. mentions 6 different variations for the Pace Cardinal,
but does not mention GumBall versus non-Gumball models.
The photo which accompanies the entry, however, shows the non-Gumball version.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

I will try and get some pictures for you and email them across. Did they make the pace cardinals without a gumball vendor as I have never seen one before?

Jake:
After going through my photo files, I noticed that the machine you pictured, has the same configuration
of different reel strips, as the one I show, with broken castings, which is why I said that the front could
possibly be a later recast of the one I have on file. This model that I own, has a full correct set of reels.
From information that Dick Bueschel and I turned up many years ago, these non-gum models, were made
for the Foreign market, as you can see by the width of the coin entry, it plays on the large English penny.
I have other models besides the Cardinal, without the gum vender, and all have the larger slot. After I got
the first machine like this, most of the others I seen, were in collections in England, and Netherlands. Most
collectors want machines with gum venders. I am not sure how many of these models were produced by Pace,
if in fact they were. They could also have been made by an overseas manufacturer, as they were doing as
much copy-cat production, as were being done here in the states. This is what has always made this hobby so
interesting, is trying to figure out who made all of the odd-ball, non run-of-the-mill, unmarked machines.
Will be waiting for any additional pics you can send to my e-mail, to see if I can figure this one out. It could
also have additional inside casting markings, that are not the same as the Pace markings. I also have one of
the "Cardinal" models, that I acquired many years ago, that someone mounted an early, Red, tin toy Cardinal
bird on the top, with movable head & wings, as an added feature. Probably by some comedian operator! Who
knows? Rather comical at the time. I had plans of removing it, but decided to leave it be. Always wondered if
any others were done this way, but haven't heard a thing.
Bill