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NEWS STORIES
& ALERTS
New NEWS STORIES are added every week or two.
Check back often to stay up-to-date.
The newest stories are on top:
For the latest on Pinballs, go to the Pinball News web page
GameRoomAntiques
Ultra Rare Coin-Ops to be Auctioned
Think of the most desirable coin machines. A 1937 World Series Baseball, An Upright with music, A Buckley Bones Dice Slot, A Lukat, An Uncle Sam Strength machine, Cast iron trade stimulators.
All these and more will be available to the highest bidder at the June 28 James Julia Auction in Fairfield Maine.
For more information, go to the Show Web Site or send an Email for more information
GameRoomAntiques
Victorian Casino Antiques Announces Music Box & Advertising/CoinOp Auctions for August & September
For more information, go to the Victorian Casino Antiques Press Release
GameRoomAntiques
Gameroom Show Comes Back to Philadelphia
For years Philadelphia was the site of one of the country's best gameroom shows. This June (Friday June 13 - 15) the show will be coming back to Philadelphia.
For more information, go to the Show Web Site
GameRoomAntiques
Russ Jensen, Pinball Historian.
On November 10, Russ Jensen at 71 passed away. He will long be remembered because he left with many articles on pinball.
For more information, see the
Russ Jensen Memorial Page prepared by Pinball News
GameRoomAntiques
New Jukebox Exhibit featured in Grand Rapids Museum
The Van Andel Museum Center of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids MI is featuring an exhibit on jukeboxes.
A new museum exhibit examines the progress of the coin-operated music industry, and the jukebox’s close connection to American culture, from the early 20th century to the present. It opened last month here at the Public Museum, where jukeboxes built by the Rowe/AMI organization, a hometown factory hero, are the focus. Located in Van Andel Museum Center, the exhibit is scheduled to run through December 31, 2008.
Called Jukebox Heroes, the exhibit features 10 automatic music machines that the museum bills as “Eighty Years of the Coolest Music Machines You’ve Ever Seen!”
For more information, see the
PRESS RELEASE on the exhibit.
GameRoomAntiques
Nevada State Museum to Feature 25 Fey Slots
From now till January 2008, the Nevada State Museum in Carson City has an exhibit featuring 25 historic mechanical gaming machines dating from 1895-1937, including two Liberty Bells, the Klondike, Little Chief, Silver Dollar and Three Cadets.
For more information, see the
PRESS RELEASE on The Fey Collection
GameRoomAntiques
Coin Operated Collectors Association
to start Members-Only Discussion Forum
The Coin Operated Collectors Association (COCA) plans to sponsor a web-based message board that will allow C.O.C.A. members to ask questions and share information with other C.O.C.A. members about coin machine collecting, internet scams, buying and selling tips, and many other topics of interest.
Only COCA members will be allowed to see or particpate in the discussion forum.
To join COCA, go to COCA Web Site.
For COCA's latest announcements, go to the COCA Announcement Page
GameRoomAntiques
Zygmunt Sells 10,000 Wurlitzer OMT Bubblers
The world largest distributor/wholesaler of Wurltizer One More Time Bubbler Jukeboxes, Zygmunt & Associates, announced that his company sold its 10,000th jukebox.
The One More Time jukebox is a replica of the 1946 Wurlitzer 1015, but with today's modern components. Originally the 1015 played 78rpm records. Today, the One More Time jukebox can be ordered to play 45 rpms records, cds, or with an IPOD.
The One More Time first came out in 1989. Frank Zygmunt ordered 20 of them and sold them all in a week. He kept on selling them and now 18 years later he sold his 10,000th unit. That's over 10 a week.
Needless to say, Zymunt is the most knowledgable Wurlitzer dealer in the world. After selling 10,000 jukeboxes, he knows how to ship them and provide the best service possible. That's why Zygmunt & Associates is the supplier of Wurlitzer Bubbler Jukeboxes to GameRoomAntiques. When you buy from GameRoomAntiques you get the best.
GameRoomAntiques
AMI/Rowe: 1909 - 2006
In July 2006, the Rowe International Company produced its One-Millionth Jukebox. The company began in 1909.
For more information, go to The History of the Rowe Jukeboxes web page.
To see a photo history of AMI/Rowe jukeboxes, go to Photo History Web Page (pdf)
GameRoomAntiques
Pinball Hall of Fame Opens in Las Vegas
The Pinball Hall of Fame has opened in Las Vegas. It contains hundreds of 1950s - 1990s in pinballs from the collection of Tim Arnold. All the pinballs can be played.
Go to their web site for more information .
GameRoomAntiques
History of Video Game Exhibit
The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago had a exhibit on the history of video games. It was called "Game On 2.0."
Go to their web site for more information .
GameRoomAntiques
Buying on the Internet from Overseas People
If you buy items on the internet or ebay from people who live overseas, you should read the following advice from the U.S. Customs Service: Go the U.S.Custom Servie Web Page
GameRoomAntiques
Morris Museum to Feature Rare Music and Automata Collection
The Morris Museum, in Morristown NJ, announced it was was awarded The Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of historic mechanical musical instruments and automata. The Collection represents one of the most significant of its kind in the world.
The musuem also announced it will create the Western Hemisphere’s First Major Public Exhibition Devoted to a Milestone in the History of Music and Entertainment Technology
For more information: See the
News Announcement
GameRoomAntiques
Directory of Jukebox Techicians
The Jukebox Collector magazine is publishing four time a year a Directory of Jukebox Technicians.
Their list includes almost 50 technicians in over 20 states and even a few in Canada.
The magazine is published 12 times a year. Subscription: $32.99 a year. Sample Back Issue - $4.99 ea
Send credit card or make check payable to Jukebox Collector and mail to:
Jukebox Collector
2545 S.E. 60th Court (Gaz),
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
Attention: Gazette Dept
or
click on the following link to: SEND AN EMAIL to Jukebox Collector
GameRoomAntiques
Interesting Pinball Facts
As you know there is only one pinball manuafacturer left in the world, the Stern Pinball Company. Until just a couple of years ago, there were four companies, Bally, Gottlieb, and Willams.
Stern creates 3 new pinballs each year and its produces in its manufacturing plant about 50 pinballs a day. Two hundred people work for the Stern Pinball Company.
Today's pinballs consist of approximately 3500 pieces, a half mile of wire. All Stern employees are required to play a pinball machine for at least 15 minutes a day. Sounds like a fun place to work.
GameRoomAntiques
Coin-Op Items Bring Good Prices at Auctions
At the December 2003 Lelands' Sports Auction a 1930s tin mutoscope with a Babe Ruth reel sold for $15,985
At the October 2003 Victorian Casino Antique Auction in Las Vegas a Frank Polk Cowboy slot sold for $22,000.
A five cent Mills Cricket floor model Jacks-type machine sold for $20,900 and a Chicago five cent Digger Crane Machine sold for $5,500.
An orignal floor model wooden barber ole sold for $3,575
The next Victoria Casino Antiques auction is schedule for April 17-18.
GameRoomAntiques
Audio Postcard: Pinball Factory
Diantha Parker of Chicago Public Radio sends an audio postcard from the Stern Pinball factory -- the last remaining manufacturer of pinball machines.
To listen to this 3 minute audio, go to NPR January 17 Audio Web Site
GameRoomAntiques
The New Digital Jukebox
The newest jukebox product is not your traditional jukebox. Rockola has introduced E-Rock Downloading Jukebox which looks like a modern coin-operated jukebox, but has a built-in computer that allows the operator to download songs from a 130,000 song list.
On the other hand, the Gibson Guitar Company, which owns the rights to the Wurlitzer Name, will be introducing a home jukebox that looks like a modern stereo system. It will hold the music of 1000 cds. It will allow you to download songs from a library of over 400,000 songs. The jukebox set up is easier than ever. No need to tyope and insert title strips or set-up a CD play list, the new digital jukebox automatically captures the cover art, artist name, cd title, and song titles. All jukebox operations can be performed on a wirless touch screen remote, which can be taken from room to room and inserted in satelitte units.
Its simple curved lines are reminescent of the curved top of the Wurlitzer jukeboxes of the 1940s, but its modern designs make it appropriate for today's decors.
For more information, see PRESS RELEASE and photo.
GameRoomAntiques.com
Internet Warning
Major internet comapanies, such Earthlink and Ebay, are warning consumers about fraudulent emails which target
customers of many high-profile companies. These emails may ask you to submit sensitive personal information --
via email, fax, or a fake Web site -- with the intent to steal that information from you.
They provide the following tips to all users:
1. NEVER send your password, credit card number, secret word, or
PIN in an email.
2. When you receive an email that directs you to a Web page asking
for your personal information, please USE CAUTION.
The email may direct you to a Web site that looks like it's from a
legitimate company with which you do business, but in reality the
site has been created by a criminal to steal your personal
information.
Furthermore, a link may show one Web address -- but direct you to
another. You should always type the Web address directly into the
address bar rather than clicking the link.
3. If you think you have already submitted sensitive information in
response to a fraudulent email, please contact your bank and/or
credit card company immediately.
GameRoomAntiques.com
Scam: Dealer From Africa
There is a internet scam that is affecting people who sell collectibles on the web.
A person claiming to be a dealer from Africa offers to buy the item you are listing on the web. They say they have a USA shipping company who can pick up the items. They will pay your price.
That's sounds good.......but then the scam starts.
They say someone in the USA owes them money. They want to pay for the item by having that third party send you a check. The check is for more than the cost of the item and they ask you to send the difference.
When I insisted on a bank money order drawn on a USA bank for the exact amount as payment, I never heard from the person again.
Another dealer told me they received a check, but when they checked into it, the check was a counterfeit check.
So.....be careful.
GameRoomAntiques.com
The Inside Story of the Penny
For collectors of vending machines, trade stimulators and arcade machines, the most important feature is the "penny". Every now and then we hear rumors that the Treasury will stop making pennies and we quickly put a few rolls aside so that we'll always have enough to play our machines.
Well, don't worry. There are currently 100 billion pennies in circulation. That's a lot of pennies. Last year, the Treasury minted 10 billion pennies. It costs the government 6/10 of a cent to mint a penny. More pennies are minted than any other coin. Only one billion quarters are minted, 1 1/4 billion dimes and only 800 million nickels. Maybe we should storeaway our nickels.
Today the "copper" penny is 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. Pre-1982 pennies were 95% copper. The core portion of the penny was changed in 1981 because the price of copper rose and people began to horde pennies thinking that someday the content of a penny, like a silver dollar, would be more valuable than the coin. They were wrong but the government changed the composition anyway.
GameRoomAntiques.com
Insider Trading at Antique Auctions
We have all read about the insider trading scandals in the stock market but did you see the Wall Street Journal article not that long ago of the insider trading scandal that is has occurred at antique auctions across the country?
Insider trading? Yes, but with antiques the term is "pooling." That's where several dealers at an antique auction get together and agree not to bid against each other in order to keep the price down. The seller who believes the auction is fair ends up being cheated. The dealers who practice pooling believe it is just good business and a matter of "friends" not bidding against each other.
The Justice Department, however, does not view "pooling" the same way as these antique dealers. It views the practice as illegal - an anti-trust violation. Not too long ago the Justice Department started a nationwide investigation to uncover and to prosecute dealers who conspire to hold prices down.
In Philadelphia, for example, twelve antique dealers were fined up to $50,000 and given probationary sentences of up to three years. Legal fees for one of the defendants amounted to $40,000.
We are all familiar with the term "buyer beware." At auctions, it is especially critical for the buyer to be extra cautious. Sellers at the auction now also have to "beware" and, if you are a dealer who practices "pooling," the Justice Department is now saying "antique dealer - BEWARE."
www.GameRoomAntiques.com
Kiddie Rides Continue to Increase in Popularity
The Kiddie Ride business is showing more growth than any other category of the coin operated amusement business. Dollar volume grew 25% last year and there were 17% more rides placed on locations than the year before.
Despite this rapid growth rate, the number of units are still only 7,000 compared to over 300,000 pinball machines.
Many operators continue to operate their older kiddie rides as they buy new ones. This continued use of kiddie rides makes it difficult for a collector or gameroom enthusiast to find a kiddie ride for their home. Fortunately, some collector/dealers are now beginning to restore kiddie rides and are making them available for home use.
For more information, see the August 2001 issue of Vending Times
www.GameRoomAntiques.com
The Number of Pinball Machines Continue to Decline
The number of pinball machines on location dropped to 300,000 in the year 2000. Ten year before, in 1990, there were over a million pinballs being used. That's a 70% decline.
More than half the machines are now set at 50 cents a play for three balls. Remember when you got five balls for a nickel.
Part of the problem facing the pinball industry is that most pinball enthusiasts are over 30 years old suggesting that the market will continue to decline.
Add to that the fact that there is now only one pinball manufacturer, Stern Pinball Inc. Only 4 new pinball games were introduced in the year 2000 versus over 12 a year in years past.
For more information, see the August 2001 issue of Vending Times .
www.GameRoomAntiques.com
Almost Half of America Collect
A recent news story on collecting indicated that approximately 40% of the population collect something, usually 2 or 3 different kinds of collectibles.
The average person spends $200 - #300 a year collecting. The collecting craze really took off in the 1970s and has been intensified by the Internet.
www.GameRoomAntiques.com
New Mall in Baltimore Features Pinball Themes
One of the largest shopping mall corporations, The Mills Corporation, has just opened a new mall in Arundel County, just outside Baltimore. It is called Arundel Mills and has over 200 stores.
One of the sections of the mall, call ed Pinball Palace, looks like you are walking inside a giant pinball machine. There are moving flippers overread, and three-foot tall pin balls racing around a track. It's highly antimated and colorful.
The mall also features a Bowl-A-Rama section, a seaside boardwalk section, and a food section that looks like a series of railroad cars.
GameRoomAntiques.com
www.GameRoomAntiques.com
Buying Antiques Too Cheaply Can Be Costly
In an earlier news story, I relayed to you a new article that reported on a recent court case where an antique dealer was required to pay a greater amount that the dealer originally paid for a collectible. The antique dealer bought a collectible for $1000 which he eventually sold at an auction for $100,000. The jury decided that the dealer took advantage of the seller lack of knowledge and required the buyer to pay an additional $18,000. Apparently, it is ok for a delaer to make a good profit, even a very good profit, but not an outragerous profit.
In another recent case, an antique dealer bought a painting at auction for $1,200 and later sold it for $385,000. A lawsuit was filed, but in this instance the judge decided against the seller, maybe because the auction format is believed to be a fairer arena for buying and selling and it would be unreasonable to expect a buyer to stand up while he is bidding and proclaim that the item being sold is worth far more than it is selling for.
Other News Stories
If you have a News Story, submit it to: durham@GameRoomAntiques.com
Don't forget our Feature Story section.
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durham@GameRoomAntiques.com
http://www.GameRoomAntiques.com
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