Bally Model 1097-4 Nickel Slot Machine Value?

[ArtK]

My first post on this forum. My cousin has an old Bally nickel slot machine with a stand that he's had for about 40 years or so, and is thinking of selling it and asked me if I could find out the value (he's over 70, and not computer literate). I seem to have hit a roadblock, as I can't seem to find any information about it. He says the model number on it is 1097-4, and the stand is not original (at least that's how he remembers it). I've attached a couple of photos (I hope - not sure if I'm doing it right). Any information would be appreciated!

[reho33]

Charles Fey has a "Blue Book" for values of antique slots, I will look at it when I get home (at work now).

[StatFreak]

Welcome to NLG ArtK   That is a 742A (or possibly a 742) Money Honey. I have one just like it, however, those strips don't look right. I've never seen strips like that.

Can you get pictures of the cabinet sides? I'm asking mostly for curiosity, but it might affect the value.

Foxsslots1 and OP-Bell might be able to shed some more light on the subject, particularly with regards to the strange strips. Maybe they were changed out?

[FOXSSLOTS1]

The model 1097 is a Navy Star Special - it is copy of the 742 - it is not a money honey.  the original navy star had yellow/orange glass.   The glass on your machine is an after market kit.

[StatFreak]

The model 1097 is a Navy Star Special - it is copy of the 742 - it is not a money honey.  the original navy star had yellow/orange glass.   The glass on your machine is an after market kit.

You 'da man, Barry!  You have a much sharper eye than I do.  

I just noticed that the reel glass does not actually match mine -- I do not have a separate "winner paid" oval to the left, the red section surrounding the denomination sticker comes to a triangular point on both ends, and the left side says "winner paid" while the right says "coin accepted". There is no "insert coin" message.

I don't think that the silver and gold paint on my belly glass is that reflective, either, now that I look at it, and there should be the wording
"150
coins"
in red in the open windows where the pictures of the coins show through.

I guess I was just so excited to finally see someone post a Money Honey with the older design that matches my machine, as almost every one that I've seen has the latter belly and reel glass designs, as well as newer styled strips.

I need a new set of glasses.    and some younger grey matter to fill in the space behind them!   

[Op-Bell]

It would be very unusual to find a machine with genuine dummy-jackpot belly glass. It was never distributed in the USA because the Nevada Gaming Commission wouldn't allow it, and it only became well known because Bally had already printed the brochures before they submitted. The Money Honey topper is also a fake, her ribbon and bow tie are the wrong color.

If Barry didn't price it I'd be a fool to try, but my foolish guess is $400 on Ebay. Remove the topper first and sell it separately, also that nice stand which looks worth a good $100 on its own. I bet the topper and stand sell more easily than the game.

[StatFreak]

It would be very unusual to find a machine with genuine dummy-jackpot belly glass. It was never distributed in the USA because the Nevada Gaming Commission wouldn't allow it, and it only became well known because Bally had already printed the brochures before they submitted. The Money Honey topper is also a fake, her ribbon and bow tie are the wrong color.

If Barry didn't price it I'd be a fool to try, but my foolish guess is $400 on Ebay. Remove the topper first and sell it separately, also that nice stand which looks worth a good $100 on its own. I bet the topper and stand sell more easily than the game.

What color should her ribbon and bow tie be?
It looks like the photo on page 237 of "...Bell-Fruit-Gum"

...Maybe too bright of a red with orange overtones??

[StatFreak]

If the glass was never released in the U.S., then I guess I have a fake repro, too. It looks a lot more like the pictures that I've seen in books than ActK's glass. I guess they just did a better job.

[Op-Bell]

Well, an unknown quantity of the first 742As were shipped to Britain before the style was changed, probably a few hundred. Phonographics put their own front glass in. Lord knows what they did with the glass they took out. And since Bally was all geared up for large scale production and had the brochures printed, they probably had a few thousand glass already made. So the chances are there is genuine glass around. What I meant was, it's highly improbable you could find a machine that had that glass installed originally.

On the original Honey toppers (I've seen two) she had a maroon tie and ribbon, not bright red.