SPECTACULAR VENDING AUCTION

Instead of arcade machines, this auction featured 500 vending machines, primarily gumballs and peanut machines. There were also 200 antique advertising lots, 50 slot machines, and 60 pinballs (primarily from the 1930s). There were only 30 trade stimulators, half a dozen jukeboxes and just a few arcade machines. The other unique items included 18 music boxes, nickelodeons, orchestrions, fair ground organs and 40 Baranger motion figures.

The highlight of the auction was the Fey Liberty Bell Slot Machine, the first automatic cash payout three reel slot machine. Only three are known to exist. The estimated value was projected at $100,000 to $200,000. It sold for $153,000. The other auction highlight was a Gabel merchant peanut machine. It sold for $104,500, the highest price ever paid for a vending machine.

As with all auctions, many of the machines were missing parts or not fully working. It was critical to open the back of the machine and check it out very carefully. A low auction price frequently represents a machine with some problems.

Selected Auction Results

First the rare machines.

Some of the more common vending items:

Here are some slot machine prices.

Jukebox prices:

Trade Stimulators:

Other Coin Op:

Miscellaneous:

By the way, all of the above prices include the 10% buyers premium, but does not include the sales tax or shipping/transportation costs.

Additional information on current pricing can be found in a number books that are available from the GameRoomAntiques Bookstore.

Copyright: 1996 Ken Durham.

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Ken Durham
GameRoomAntiques
3000 Galloway Ridge, C-306
Pittsboro NC 27312
For Orders Only: 202-213-1585
All others, please email: durham@GameRoomAntiques.com