A four-reel Mills Hightop?

[radiochrissie]

Can anyone help me identify my machine please as I have not seen another like this.
I have had it for over 40 years. I got it from the Tivoli Amusement Arcade in New Brighton before it closed.
I have been amazed at the generosity of replies I have received for other questions I have posted - this site is a mine of information.
Thank you all in advance

[treefrog]

Well it is what it says: a 4 reeler Mills Hi Top..... These are not common, I have seen very few come up for sale, even in the States... Looking at the plastic award card, it may be a Mill-O-Matic machine from Nevada, but looks in great condition and with original stand.... You certainly were in the right place at the right time.....

I would assume these were only used in Casinos at the time.., but Jennings also did them and others followed like the Aristocrat etc., I guess to allow for larger payouts.. It may have been converted when imported to UK coinage by a reseller/retailer as the badge is of the type used on Sega machines.. Nice machine... I will be watching the Market in case it ends up there

[daveslot]

I got to say I like 4 reelers. I have one of these which is quite similar but with a metal award card, but I think I prefer the Bell-O-Matic.

[slotaholic]

I have a complete mech for one of these High Top four reelers but sadly no cabinet. Are they worth a lot more than regular 3 reel machines? Not sure if it's worth looking out for bits to rebuild it or strip it for spares for my other Bell machines.

[treefrog]

Not being an expert on 4 reelers, but I would think there is no difference in terms of the cabinet, the only thing would be the glass. Obviously you would have to use an open glass front casting not the case with the 3 windows. In fact, with the tins and reel stops, which are probably the only bits different, you could in theory convert a three reeler I would assume.

Daveslot, I do quite like some of the later Mills machines, that Bell-O-Matic looks like a hell of a lump of alloy... Is there any information out there on very late Mills machines? Most books stop at the Hi Tops, but there seemed to be many variations before they disappeared in the 60s. Often these machines had cast cash trays with built in ash trays or drinks trays, like the one I have below, of which I have never seen another. A bit boxy but a lot of chrome... Also there have been a few variations like the one recently on ebay below the King Club.

[operator bell]

There are not many Mills after the Hi-Top. Their domestic market was practically wiped out by Bally in the later 60s, and they'd surrendered the international market to Sega. The "81 jackpots" in your pic is the last mechanical Mills, the 1968 M-Top, which had modest sales. After this came the dreadful electric Sierra, and its failure was the end of Mills. In 1971 the wreckage was salvaged and combined with Jennings and Keeney as the TJM corporation. TJM only used the Jennings trademark, as that name that had the best reputation, and the only reason TJM wasn't stillborn is that Atlantic City opened and passed a law that no casino could have more than 50% machines from one company (clearly an attempt to stop Bally owning the world).

I don't know what the other machine is, the King Club - I've never seen a cabinet like it. It could be a showman special of some kind. Looks like an M-top mech inside, though.

[operator bell]

Actually, I was incorrect. Going through my image collection looking for something else, I came upon this Merry Monarch, which has every appearance of being an original Mills case..

[treefrog]

There have been a few Monarchs for sale in recent years and often they have not sold well. I am sure some of these were partially electrical, with solenoid payouts. If the Mills 81 is one of the last mechanical Mills, nice to know. I just need to get a copy of the original front flash, as mine is a replacement picture not related to the machine. The inside is stock Mills mech and runs on 6D. The Club King, by its name, obviously was for the Private Club or casino market with the large payouts and original Mills jackpot mech...