JENNINGS SUN CHIEF $1 antique slot machine Help Needed

[CaptainHappy]

Hi All,

My mother's good friends have asked for some help on their JENNINGS SUN CHIEF $1 antique slot machine. Supposedly it works fine, but their issue is that they have lost the keys for the YALE locks that are on the machine. They need to get into the cashbox to get the $1 authentic casino tokens out for the grandkids to keep playing. This is their problem!    I had my mom take some pictures before she came to visit before our trek to the   BBQ!

I am guessing that the machine is probably a late 1940's model, and it does have the lighting feature. It is on an integrated(?) stand that has a footrest at the bottom. (A nice looking machine, they sure don't make machines like these anymore!)

There is a lock in the back on the metal cover that is a YALE lock, and there is also a lock on the wood door in the stand I think. Both are on the rear. They asked a locksmith and I think he quoted hundreds of dollars to fix their problem.  

My questions are:

Any tips from the experts?
Are these locks unique on each machine?
Do these look like original locks?
Is there a safe way to break into the machine without damage. (Most likely the wood door in the stand(?) is the target as I believe the cash box with the token stash is in there??)
How pickable are these locks?
Anyone have the keys? 
Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance for any help! 

CaptainHappy
  ADMIN

[CaptainHappy]

Macine Picture

 

[FOXSSLOTS1]

keys are unique - there are master keys but I doubt most locksmiths would have these for the old yale locks. HOWEVER - any locksmith is trained to PICK locks - the price one quoted must of included travel time or ?
Check another locksmith - worst case would be to drill it out - there is no way to get into the machine without doing major damage - so removing the lock is KEY (sorry for the pun).

[tacman]

CH, also consider taking the machine right to a locksmith shop. Depending how heavy it is, of course. They should be able to pick that in about 30 seconds. Once open they can either rekey the original lock or replace it. Home service calls will kill you, taking it in should lower the price dramatically.

 Dan (tacman)

[StatFreak]

I agree with Dan. If you drill the lock and replace it you will lower the value of the machine (unless you can find an original lock with a key). It would be much better to have it picked and then have the locksmith make a new key to fit the pins, which should be straight forward once the lock can be removed. If it turns out that the key blank is no longer available, you could either try to find a complete original lock and key, or just an original key. You could then have the locksmith re-pin the lock to match the key you bought.

[stayouttadabunker]

All of the above suggestions are great!
I'd take it in a have it picked just so there's no more damage done.
See if he can make another key.
Replace the lock with another Yale lock if you wish.
A lock is a lock.
You will not decrease the value of the machine because of new Yale locks?

[CaptainHappy]

Thanks folks,

You are confirming everything that I had figured. I was hoping that someone had on of the old master keys for this lock that may have worked. They are older, so I doubt that they would bring it in to a locksmith. I had suggested that they let their fingers do the walking and get competitive quotes. I will not be up there to help out for some time, and their grandkids want to play!   I have locksmith kits and tools, and a fair amount of experience as I used to master key all of my buildings myself. I also have some trepidation about travelling with my lock picks as I am not a licenced locksmith. Some jurisdictions refer to them as burglary tools!  

Does anyone know how many pins those old locks have?

I figure that they will give in and not wait for me to come to Reno to help them.

Thanks again for all of the answers!

CaptainHappy

[jay]

Mark,

I would argue that point.... as you are also sporting the tools to be a rapist.... just having the equipment doesn't make you one.

[Op-Bell]

Wow, a dollar Sun Chief in a club console! That's one hell of a valuable machine, even a bit scratched up. A regular casino quarter Sun Chief is worth about $1000, triple that for the console, and at least double again for dollars. I've seen much less attractive Jennings dollar machines fetch over $5k at auction. I hope your mom's got it insured, cap'n, and I agree with everyone above, do not drill it or damage it.

Below: some boring old ordinary Sun Chiefs. A number of these green guys have been showing up at auction recently.

[CaptainHappy]

Mark,

I would argue that point.... as you are also sporting the tools to be a rapist.... just having the equipment doesn't make you one.

 

Maybe I can try that logic on the cops!!! 

I could argue that they are slot machine tools for lock access, and I am licensed for slot machines in CA! 

I just wish I could get there to help them, but I think they will need a locksmith before I can get there to help.

CaptainHappy

[CaptainHappy]

Wow, a dollar Sun Chief in a club console! That's one hell of a valuable machine, even a bit scratched up. A regular casino quarter Sun Chief is worth about $1000, triple that for the console, and at least double again for dollars. I've seen much less attractive Jennings dollar machines fetch over $5k at auction. I hope your mom's got it insured, cap'n, and I agree with everyone above, do not drill it or damage it.

Below: some boring old ordinary Sun Chiefs. A number of these green guys have been showing up at auction recently.

That is why I wanted to get up there and work on it myself. Afraid of what some yahoo would do to it! I wish that it was my Mom's.... It belongs to one of her good friends.  I know what a valuable machine that is. One solution that I thought of for them ME would be to take that old "junky" machine off of their hands, and give them a shiny, near new $1 S+ machine in exchange, with at least 5 sets of keys!!! HA HA  I would love to have that machine, and I doubt that they are aware what it is worth! I will send them warnings so that they are careful with it. I am also going to get some better pictures that show off the console as well. They don't make nice machines like this anymore!

Regards,

Mark

P.S. You coming to the BBQ? I am trying to get a few things done so that I can get on the road!

[cp]

If you don't have any luck pickiing the locks... I've seen the Yale locks on Ebay from time to time that are the "correct" type for the Jennings slots.   (that's if you have to drill out to get access)  Also, you might contact Krahl Klassic antique slots for original locks.   http://www.antiqueslots.biz/index.shtml    The Yale locks usually sell for  $40 to $50.   each.    ....which would be a small investment considering the value of the $1  console. In the mean time...just get some IKE dollars and keep playing the machine....  Good Luck !  NICE MACHINE !!!

[slotsteve]

the lock is brass  drill where the key  goes it will open  its only a desk door lock on it anyway we got loads of jenning from england in the 70,s had to dril lmost to me it looks like its been replaced before  due  to bolts on both sides of lock