Looking for information about a Berkeley machine

[stevieboy1101]

My Dad has a Berkeley Money Matador that a neighbour has asked if he wants to sell. I have been trying to see if I can find out more about the machine so that he doesn't get ripped off, but information is very limited even on the interwebs! I had a nose around here over the last few days and see some references to Berkeley and the Sega relationship and an occasional Matador, but still limited. I loved playing this machine as a kid and even had it in my bedroom. I know he converted it to pennies at one point, but now it runs on a ton of tokens he has. I'll post some pics that my sister took (since I live in the US now). If anyone has any insights I'd appreciate it.

[treefrog]

Hello Stevieboy and welcome.

I am sure your search found lots of references to this machine on this site and they are often discussed. Your machine looks a nice example and very clean inside. We call them Sega clones as were made in the U.K. to feed the market demand for this style of machine, probably late '60s.

In terms of value, in the U.K. probably between £200 and £450. I have left it broad as the market varies. Also is it fully working etc? If the machine is in the US it may have less desirability as a foreign coined machine and not one of the recognised makers there.

The thing that is most interesting to me is the sticker on the box on the inside, which finally puts a name to the maker of these machines and their variants. Instone and Ashby in Slough. A company started in 1962 making these special award machines. The sad part is the company only went in to liquidation less than a year ago and the company creator Peter Instone died on 15th August this year. I found the below in an online magazine, which opens up the creator of many of these machines we have talked about over the years. It seems Peter was a well known and influential person on the gaming machine circuit and the part about winning a case when the laws changed is interesting. Anyway, it fills a gap discussed many times.

A well-known pioneer of the modern UK machine operating industry, Peter Instone, has died at the age of 86.

Peter worked as gaming machine engineer at Smith Brothers and Coin in Battersea from 1960 and moved to Slough in 1962. There he opened Instone and Ashby Ltd along with brother-in-law Stan Ashby. They manufactured a number of highly successful fruit machine titles, including Lucky Devil, Money Matador, Musketeer, The Buckingham and Talisman.

Peter fought a punitive purchase tax implemented by the tax authorities on the gaming machine industry in the 1970s and won. Peter was a BACTA member from the 1960s until his retirement in 2007. He was also chairman of the old ATE Exhibition Company during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Source: Peter Instone dies, 86 Intergame, August 15, 2018 by David Snook

I have edited as I realised Instone was mentioned on the site 4 years ago about another machine where Freddy Bailey had provided the link. Anyway a little more now added added to the story and a sad closure of course.
Seeking info about my Sega Speculator

[stevieboy1101]

Many thanks, treefrog.

That is great information. The machine works well and pays out, but my Dad says he hadn't plugged it in for many years so has no idea if the lights worked still. I know they did at one point as I remember seeing them. Anyway, I let him know the details you provided and thanks for sharing the other links about the company that made them and the owner.