I bought it yesterday!

[RiseLikeRa]

Short:

Thank you for the compliments on the stands.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  I had no idea how heavy those em's were until the first one was in my garage.  No slot machine supply store in NY.  I thought to myself, self, what kind of table is strong enough to hold up this machine with a compartment under it that will hold the hopper overflow?  With water being about 8 pounds per gallon my list of choices was really short AND there was a pet supply store nearby.  The rest is history. 

Problem for me now is that they stopped making the stand that you see in my pictures about 2 years ago.  What do I do now?

Ra

[BadMaddison]

hey Ra,

who you callin' older?

ha!

ok, so according to California Antique Slots, Inc. the 809 is a 1967.  Ra's 873 is a 1970.  but I can't tell the difference! I'm looking at all the models in between and there were a lot of exports made in those three years; it would be fun to see some of them. and keep checking craigslist for aquarium stands.  you're on to something there.

Ra- there is a better picture of my Fortune on my profile page.  I'm really very new to all of this and literally stumbled across it.  I didn't know what it was and frankly didn't want it.  it was posted on craigslist out in the boondocks with the Bally it's shown with.  the owner had said, "it might behoove you to look it up and buy it along with the other one".

ha ha! "bee-hoooove me".  I almost didn't even go thinking this guy was a joker because I couldn't find anything anywhere about it, not even a picture.

when I saw it I had to have it. and little old grandpa was no joker but a very sharp minded man in an elderly man's body.

he didn't just want to sell it to anyone, he wanted someone to have it.

it's a 1975 Fortune Coin Company slot machine developed by Walt Fraley.  the first one.  before Si Redd purchased Fortune Coin in 1978.

[RiseLikeRa]

Bad:

I would never call you old because we are as young as we feel.  Your pictures are very nice.  My first machine was from LA Slots and they had a lot of El Rancho games for sale.  You have a great and diverse collection. 

I did not even know that there were early vidoe slots until I found this forum.  NY is a 30 year state so I am extremely limited here.  The Bally 1000 and 2000 series scare me and are ill advised by many.  That leaves me the pre 1980 games.  There are indeed all shpes and sizes to choose from. 

You are correct in that many of the best machines were exported and are very scarce in the states.  I have been lucky enough to meet people with some rare birds and I have been able to play many of them.  My cup runneth over now and there is no more space in my cave.  I have to buy and purge at the same time in the future.  Glad that you like the fish tank idea.  I am always willing to help a fellow collector. 

Ra