The Wonders List

American, British, French or German? We want to know about it.
pennymachines
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The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

A list of all the machines (mostly allwins) made by Wondermatics Ltd (or Wonders, for short).

I'm sure you know some I don't. Add them to this thread and I'll update the list. Carter's Arcades & Slot Machines lists 29. So far we've added another 25.

Arcade
Big Wheel
Bonascope
Basket Ball
Bonus
Boomerang
Bucket & Ball
Canon Balls (1965)
Chip or Bust (1964)
Coconuts
Diggins
Dropacopper
Eight Cups
Encore
Face the Music
Fairwin
Flip or Drop
Flyover
Fountain
Fore
Fruit Drop
Game Shot
Helter-Skelter (1963)
Hi-Take
Hit-N-Run
Honest Joe
Jack-In-A-Box (1965)
Kum Fishing (1962)
Lido
Net-Ball
Nine Pins
One Fruit
Patsy Fun Fair
Plioneer
Plioneer Electro-Pay
Plusfore (1962)
Pot a Ball
Pot Luck
Quick Returns
Rally Ball
Ringla
Royal Flush
Ski Jump
Snooker (1963)
Space Shot
Spin-a-Win
Steeple Chase
Supreme Cup
Super Selecta
Ten Cups
Towerbridge
Tip-It-In
20 Cup
24 Winning Cups
Win and Place
Wonder Win
Wonder Win & Mystery
Wonder Pools
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john t peterson
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by john t peterson »

Coconuts.
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by JC »

I operate a Wonders allwin down at Brighton called 'Pot Luck'. It is a giant multi cup, multi payout allwin with a snooker theme. Most of the cups (representing the red ball) payout 2. The centre, vertical line of cups pay 2-4-6-8-10 and represent the higher denomination balls. It must be a rare machine, it's certainly the only one I know of.

The 'Wonders Fruit' listed is actually called 'Wonders One Fruit'. I have one of these too at Brighton, and it's exactly the same machine as 'Pot Luck' but with a different backflash. The theme is a fruit machine, with most of the cups (representing the cherry) paying 2. The centre, vertical line of cups, again paying2-4-6-8-10, represent: cherry;orange;plum; bell and bar.

Pennymachines may recall many years ago, during a phone call, we talked about the different versions of 'Wonder Win'. This is a small, standard format allwin (i.e. LWWWWWL) but seems to have been made with several completely different backflashes,

P.S. In those days you weren't called Pennymachines!
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

List updated. Thank you both.

Don't think I've seen the Coconuts, John. Have you got a pic?

I've changed the name Four to Par Four. This was a large golf theme allwin I sold many years ago. Think I have the name right now. Anyone confirm?

I know the One Fruit, but as you say Jerry, it's quite rare. It's curious how many Wonders only seem to exist in tiny numbers. For this reason, there must be many I don't know about. I'm sure there are plenty to add to the list. I think the horse racing themed Win and Place must be the most common.

Also, as you mentioned, it's strange that you often find variations on the backflashes of games of the same name. It suggests that when they used up a print run they didn't have the option to reprint, but had to set up from scratch, including commissioning an artist to redo the picture. I've seen three different versions of the Honest Joe backflash. Some depict racing horses and others show greyhounds.

Just thought of another one: Gone Fishin' (large one with greeny-blue backflash). 38 and counting...
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by cheeky »

Yes 'Site Admin', a lovely themed machine indeed. Would it be possible to display photos of all the Wonders Machines, maybe under a separate link?
Great idea to try and find all the Wonders machines!
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

Yes, we could have a go at that. If I get some good images I'll put them in the Museum. I've removed the Coconuts pictures and linked them to the list at top of the thread.
I've changed Par Four back to Four. I'm told I got it right first time.

Send in your Wonders pics!
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Wonders pictures

Post by pennymachines »

John just sent me a link to the Coconuts pictures. Featuring the famous Chipperfield's Circus, it's another of the attractive fairground/circus themed allwins that are a bit a Wonders' speciality. The Coconut-Shie fits the cup layout rather well, I think.
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Win and Place

Post by pennymachines »

A Win and Place with horses on the racecourse and one without.
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Lido

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Lido (large, rare).
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Dropacopper

Post by pennymachines »

Dropacopper Electro mechanical. The last of the line and, as far as I know, the only machine Wonders made that wasn't an allwin.
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One Fruit

Post by nobby.pennytoy »

One Fruit (Large 19 Cup)
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Boomerang

Post by nobby.pennytoy »

Boomerang (unusual, rare).
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

Thanks to Coin-op and nobby.pennytoy for providing some excellent Wonders pictures and Pete B for mentioning his Basket Ball (picture to come).
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Wonders machine

Post by nostalgic machines ltd »

Here is a pic of a Wonders machine not on your list. It is a Space Shot. It looks to be based on the Wonder Pools, with a different backdrop. I found this one recently and in great unrestored condition. Any info welcome.
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

Nice. First space theme Wonders I've seen. Looks like one of the later ones, judging by the plain cabinet design (no fluting down the sides, no pyramidal top) and rectangular-backed coin cup. I've added it to the list.
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

Rather fuzzy picture of the large multicup Honest Joe.
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by JC »

Readers of Mechanical Memories Magazine have now joined the quest to discover more Wonders Machines. In the latest issue, I've reported two more to go on the list:
Nine Pins and 24 Winning Cups
I've posted pictures of both in the Wonders Pictures thread.
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by JC »

Nine Pins and 24 Winning Cups (currently undergoing restoration).
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

Hit-N-Run
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Re: The Wonders List

Post by pennymachines »

John alerted me to this large Wonders Hit-N-Run recently purchased by "a well known collector".
First I've seen. The uniquely American sport of baseball is an odd theme for a British game.
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