New Life Games Tech Forums

Dear all,

I have the opportunity to buy a number of Bally machines (Money Honey Model 742A built in 1964), in reasonable/good condition. The machines are all functioning.

My question is how much such a machine would fetch on the open market today.

Your replies appreciated.

In my opinion I would say they are valued at between $500 - $1,000 depending on where you live. If you want to move them then start at $600 and deal, if you don't mind sitting on them them $800 and deal.
And also it is what condition they are in, mint start at $900? But remember that they will need to be gone through (cleaned, lubed, contacts replaced?) before you sell them, and if you have a store front? Sales tax? a lot to take into consideration? so if you can buy them for $100 - $350 that would help.,
That is from my experience so hopfully you'll get more post.
Scott

I would love to purchase a mint 742A for $900 +. Any sellers out there??

I'll keep your posting and let you know if I get one. Again I don't have a store front to pay for, as stores will need to charge more for there added expenses. I wish I could get more? Maybe I am not charging enough??? My slots move as I dont like holding on to them.
Thanks, Scott

I checked the Blue Book for slots and found no listing for the 742A Money Honey.

Do you have the blue book for any 742 Ballys?

My old blue book (1998) gave values for the 742a from $470 (grade 5) to $1550 (grade 1).  Average condition about $1250. I believe that these values are at least 15% less with the current economy on an average machine, and around 20% less on "mintier" machines - but I'm just a hobbiest. My experience is anything that's a luxury item is down in price. I took it in the shorts on an old Cadillac two years ago as well.

Hope this is some help.

prices are relative - the market for collectibles is very uncertain at best.  Many books have listed prices for slots over the years and all those prices listed are unrealistic.  The best gauge of value is what they ACTUALLY sell for - based on Ebay prices - Money Honeys at one time LISTED for $1500.00 LISTED!!!  There are numerous Antique machines LISTING on ebay for $3000 (Jennings for example). What they actually sell for is the true VALUE.   Your best bet to find a value is to watch Ebay and follow a listing to its conclusion.  These days machines don't garner near the amount of a few years ago.  Bottom line - the value is what you feel you are willing to pay for it.  The lower the price the better.  The other factor - CONDITION - ORIGINALITY.   

Amen  I think are price books are far from right I have guys come  here with pinball price book and it shows a pin  selling on ebay for 1500 to be worth  800, When we bought n sold used cars there were 2 books a true wholesale and a retail book,When we bought pins we had to buy a full 40ft cont load these book show them worth less then we payed and thats before shipping , I feel its what its worth to someone is the fair price  you can always say no , till and if the pinball market goes up (and if it goes up)we are just selling off low end stuff keeping  my alist stuff  for right time

Here is one on Ebay, lets see what it sells for?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280487949815&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280487949815&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)

Thats a great machine on e-bay. However it is in Illinois. I think anyone would be foolish to bid and purchase a slot machine before at least seeing it in person.
Sellers have a habit of embellishing the condition and operating quality and unless you see it first you do not know what you are getting.

I agree and shipping is only $150 but from the pics it does look clean.
What I don't understand is why the IGT S2000 can be more expensive than the Bally EM's. I my opinion the EMS are a hardy, hardy, well built machine while the newer slots have plastic everywhere and cheap parts. They may be fun to play with backlit reels etc. but for what you get I'll take a EM any day and should be of more value.
Scott

I've got to agree with that. I never believed that stepper slots would become collectible - I still don't. They don't have the longevity, they'll break down and be impossible to fix after 30-40 years. You can already see the problems that are coming with the older electronic slots like the IGT/Aristocrats. There's nothing much wrong as a rule, just a few dirty contacts and a dead chip or two, but it took me months to get mine working, whereas I can fix up the most complicated EM machines in a couple of days.

Back on topic, here's a really collectible 742A - a "white sides". I don't know what these fetch as I've never seen one put up for sale. There used to be one in the reception area of Bally's factory on Bermuda here in LV.

Interesting what one runs into on the net...I just joined this forum tonight...  I was searching to see if I could find some info on how to 'decode' a Bally serial number tag and google sent me to this forum.  I just so happen to be the one who bid and won the '64 Money Honey machine out here in Illinois.  My interest in it was local pickup as I live in the N.W. suburbs of Chicago, price, and a few good pics.  I had won the bid on Friday and picked it up this morning.  Turns out that the machine is in excellent shape.  It is just as clean in person as the photos represents.  It came with a receipt of the prior purchase in 1991 from a dealer out of Vegas for $1900.  The seller told me that the machine was bought as restored and based on the condition it was definitely well cared for.  I ended up winning the bid at $765 so I'm hoping that it is a fair deal - this is the first machine I ever bought...  Hopefully that helps set a bench mark on the price.  The other bidder had their max set at $760 and I won it in the last 7 seconds of the auction for the additional 5 dollars. 

I know that this is bit off topic (and possibly already covered somewhere in the forum) but I would appreciate assistance if someone has a link to help decode the serial number.  I think there is also a date code on the top of the tag - but I'm not sure. 

Thanks much!  :-)

Congratulations on your winning (buying) of the Bally slot machine. I believe you bought it at a great price and will enjoy owning a Bally EM they are great hardy machines. There is a date stamped on the top of the tag that is located outside under the handle that will tell you the model number and serial number. If you look closely the date can be seen at the top of that tag. Again it sounds like you bought this slot at a excellent price. Thanks for helping pricing one of these out.
Scott

By the way you should start a new discusion on  how to 'decode' a Bally serial number tag because it would be seen and read easier than this tag. Also if there is a decoding it would be interesting to know becouse I dont. Good luck
Scott

tags are usually missing as the machine was most likely sold illegally at some time - the tag has the serial number and was easily traced by Bally to the casino to the dealer who got it and so on.  At one time Nevada required all machines sold to have the serial number etched inside the machine and on its major components.  As for the model number - the only places that the number would be visable are on the the reel mechanism - the wiper boards and the wiper arm.  the hopper had a paper label attached to the front but those fell off after time.   Sometime you will find some wrote the model on the front of the reel mech or hopper but the best chance to find the actual model no is on the wiper/wiper boards.

Hi Guys,
I found your thread interesting as i've recently listed a Money Honey in reasonable condition on E-Bay ...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260602637510&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260602637510&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT)
What do you think I should accept in this sort of condition. I am not sure wether being in southern England works in my favour as obviously these were made in the USA.
Any advice or chat would be great =)

Hi,
Sorry but I am not familiar with slot machine prices outside of the USA, and exchange rates etc. What is L150 reserve equal to in US dollars?
I would think you should get a good price if these are not easily available in your area??
Scott

Hi Scott - and thanks for a quick reply,
£150 is roughly 215USD right now .. I can't imagine there is as many in europe as there are over there.
I already have an italian fella asking if it would be ok for his courier to pick it up!

I watch the British market, and I expect this would fetch 200 to 250 pounds. It's in good shape, but it's a very late model, it's missing the plastic out of its topper, and it's been drilled for a padlock hasp, so it's not what you might call a collector's item. Just out of interest, does it have 20 or 22 symbols on a reel? The original 742A had 20 but pretty much all Ballys after about 1970 had 22.

That is actually not a Money Honey as those have distinctly different graphics, but a 742A the same base model. That game is called TIC TAC TOE, and I have that as well, but your insides look a little different than mine... For a working machine of that area in good condition, your price is more than fair in my opinion.

CaptainHappy :95-
 :nlg- ADMIN

just a note mr italian  will ask you to ship for £20 look at his feed back first

ahh thanks - that's great dyou think I need to remove the Money Honey from the ebay tag as I don't want to falsely advertise it or get in trouble for it ....
The money is worth it as I think someone with a suitable property could make it a nice feature in a hallway or landing.
Not too sure on the 20 or 22 symbols yet but I will get back to you on it ..

ps. got my eye on Mr Italian ;)

I don't think you'll get in trouble for it, since misrepresentation is practically (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230474513681&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp3907.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D230474513681%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1) a requirement (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110520549181&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm570%26_nkw%3D110520549181%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1) on ebay.co.uk.   :208-

In case you don't get the joke or the listings are removed, these are faux Jennings Chief and Watling Rol-a-Top machines consisting of a genuine case (in the case of the Jennings) and a reproduction front (in the case of the Watling) concealing MPU4 stepper motor innards.

that is one fine looking money honey - looks original - the hopper is a dead give away - that is the style used in the early 742s. 

I,ve purchased a few of these in mainland Europe over the past year; allow me a couple of observations. Firstly given the current state of the UK economy you will get less if offered for sale in the UK alone than across Europe, simply because many more genuine old slot machine classics including Jennings, Mills, Bally etc are coming onto the market in the UK. Curiously, there is an active arbitrage market playing off the UK against Europe as a result.

Secondly Money Honeys and their variants are not as rare as you would think; I would expect a final price in the range of 150 - 200 GBP although the absence of the top light, plus redenomination costs, and repairs will mitigate against this sum by prospective purchasers. Also, the machine as pointed out is not actually a "Money Honey", although it looks very well maintained.

A word on shipping costs. Buyers can expect to pay circa 45 - 50 GBP within UK, for most of the rest of Europe the charge will be circa 120 - 160 GBP; again this needs to be taken into account by buyers (and sellers!!).

Good luck with the sale...........I will be watching.

prices will vary i have been tracking the price of ballys on e bay for nearly 2 years and prices paid do vary for said same machines
an original coinage with high jackpot will fetch £250
bally gold awards can go from £55 to £195(a bit of friend bidding)
most uk ballys are low denomination 1p 2p play with low jackpots you can pick these up for £50 to £90
ballys with high jackpots will be normally over £200 ie one sold the other day on e bay for £226 this was a 3 coin player with a 1000 coin jackpot
i think over all ballys are still reasonable and myself have bought one for £62 today