Rare 1927 Mills “Play Ball” Baseball Slot Machine

[Dave]

A friend of mine called me about a machine coming up at auction at http://www.goldinauctions.com

He was all excited about trying to get it because it is so rare.

I went and took a look at it and advised him not to buy it.

Once you see the picture and read the description I think you will know why.

Offered is a rare 1927 Mills “Play Ball” slot machine. This notorious “one-armed bandit” was manufactured by Mills when legalized wagering was limited in the United States in that era. Measuring approximately 14 x 24 inches on its face, this is machine was designed with three wheels that when triggered by the spring-loaded handle, rotates independently to arrive at a stop and displays any number of several baseball motifs. Different configurations in the stopped position could also award with base hits, even home runs. A variety of external controls are offered the player, which can interrupt the rotation of the wheels, and other controls can record the progression of base runners. A bigger metallic knob on the right side prompts the machine to dispense packaged candy that was originally wrapped mints called “Play Ball”. “Mills Novelty Co.” and its 1927 copyright appear on the design of a pennant on the wheels. The wheels are eight inches in diameter with several baseball designs and approximate the number of different designs in a conventional slot machine. Wooden sideboards surround the machine and all the metallic surfaces, primarily made of cast iron, are nickel plated. Applied paint in fine detail also highlights the overall image. Keys are included to provide access to the front for replacing the candy, and to gain access in the back to service the mechanism and to retrieve the player’s coinage. The internal mechanism has been cleaned and refitted with new hardware, principally fasteners. Externally, there has been very little restoration, with the paper instructions on top that comprises the machine's only non-original element. The machine is fully operational with just two high-grade examples of this machine have been confirmed to exist.

Let's see who can find the largest number of things wrong in the description

The same auction is selling a 'rare' Babe Ruth catchers mitt. The current bid is $155,000. I wonder if the description of it is just as accurate.

Go to https://goldinauctions.com/rare_1927_mills__play_ball__baseball_slot_machine-lot21910.aspx to see more photos of the Rare 1927 Mills “Play Ball” Baseball Slot Machine

Oh, and they estimate the machine will sell for $15,000+. Current bid is $6,000. I think Buyer's Premium is 20%

[MikeB]

My oh my, there's too many things wrong to even list. The OD Jennings sticker on the side of this "MILLS" is a nice touch. Rowe/AMI jukebox keys are also nice, lol

I didn't know the Vegas Butcher was branching out to slot machines, I thought he only did trade stimulators?

[Richard13]

I really do not like the today vendor machine in any configuration. Had two of them once and could not get even one
to vend properly. It is a way way over engineered machine IMHO. Like they taught me in high school Latin class
Caveot Emptor or you are gonna learn a very expensive lesson.

I stopped at the sticker and casting marks.

[jmac]

Looks like the same machine which just sold at auction recently:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/43 ... ot-machine

This link also shows the mech w/ backdoors off, and a little more accurate description.

[Dave]

Yep, you are correct. The machine is the same one. The wood side has the exact same crack in it.

According to the online price guide http://www.AntiqueSlotMachinePriceGuide.com, it sold for $3,750 + juice on 1/30/2016

The description was accurate.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

I stopped at "J".
When I first opened this thread, I glanced at the pix of the "J"ennings "Today Vender".
Then I started reading the description, and even went past the word "RARE", but when I got to "MILLS", I stopped
right there, knowing that all the following would be pure 'BS'. I did glance further, and seen "MILLS" again.
Where do these people come from, that can't run an auction house, knowing what they are selling? Then again,
whoever supposedly restored the machine, should hide in a closet. Many things incorrect. They couldn't even line
up the reel strips center. The paint-job may look good to some, from across the street, but it is "ATROCIOUS"!

[altort]

Grossly misrepresented, obviously that auction company did not do enough research just a bunch of b.s., these are the Mills and the Jennings side by side, big difference between the two, the Jennings is all original and works 100% including the mint dispenser.

[mechanic]

I can tell everyone here that the marquee on the Jennings Today Vendor is a repro and the card in it is a Mills Play Ball. I am just about to do an original Mills FOK 2 Column jackpot vendor with the Playball Freeplay Theme. These did not have a front plate with the players as the jackpot unit created a problem. It was shopped out by someone but luckily they left the original award card intact.

[Dave]

So here is a summary of what is wrong in the description

• Machine is not rare
• Machine is a Jennings, not a Mills
• It is not a "Play Ball" model
• Does not have skill stops
• No bigger metallic knob on the right side (good grief, this is on Mills baseball machines)
• Machine is aluminum (NOT cast iron as stated)
• Machine has been restored, not "very little" restoration
• Machine has been plated (which is incorrect for this machine)
• Marquee is a reproduction
• Many more than two high grade examples of this machine exist. In addition, this machine is NOT a high grade example
• Keys are not original
• I suspect play field is also new and not original.

If this is a representative example of descriptions at goldinauctions I sure would never bid on anything they list.