Manhattan one armed bandit

Somebody knows... Maybe you?
masterknowitall
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Manhattan one armed bandit

Post by masterknowitall »

I sure hope someone can help me. I have a very old slot machine made by Manhattan. Nobody seems to know anything about this manufacturer.
The machine I have was brought to the US in the late '60s and was fairly old at that time. It is a 3 wheel machine, it has a Mad Magazine motif which appears to be original (yes, I know Mad Magazine is a US magazine). The coin slot has a "1p" on it, which is one of the reasons I believe it to be a product of the UK. I have looked at many sites on the web to no avail. I sure hope someone can/will help. I don't have an image available, but I will try to post one if requested. Thanks.
cheeky
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Post by cheeky »

Have you a picture?
masterknowitall
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Post by masterknowitall »

Thanks for the response. I will try to have pictures tomorrow.
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Images of Manhattan slot machine

Post by masterknowitall »

I'm very sorry it took so long to send these images. I've had several computer problems which prevented me from posting them. I really hope that someone may know something about Manhattan as I've tried for a long time to find information before I found this site. Thanks in advance.
Ps apparently my image file size is too large. I will attempt another image on another post.
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masterknowitall
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second image of Manhattan slot machine

Post by masterknowitall »

I had to resize my image to upload. I hope the quality is OK. Thanks for any response.
Mike.
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daveslot
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Post by daveslot »

Hi, it's a 1960s Sega Manhattan, made in Japan. I think they made 3 different Mad Moneys, the other 2 being front openers.
masterknowitall
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Post by masterknowitall »

Daveslot, Thank you very much for your response. After many attempts to find history/info regarding this machine, you have provided the first I have ever received. I am curious as to value. Value as far as how much it is worth and also value as far as how desireable it may be to a collector.
Again, thanks a lot.
Mike.
cheeky
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Post by cheeky »

Hi, Sorry for the delay in getting back in touch. These machines are quite common in the UK, so values are fairly low - probably about £200.00 tops unless it is pristine. I am still bewildered by the fact that it doesn't have Sega engraved in the front panel. I suspect this is a Mills case. They made identical ones until Sega bought them out lock-stock and barrel! I guess that Sega used up the old parts so yours is probably an early one. Out of interest, where does the power lead emerge from the case?
masterknowitall
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Post by masterknowitall »

There is no place I have seen on the cabinet or on the top panel for an electrical cord. I would have thought that the top panel would light up, but I see nothing to indicate it ever did. Since Sega is not stamped or embossed on the case, and you say it may be a Mills machine, what does the "Manhattan" mean or signify??? Also, when did Sega buy out Mills?
Thanks for the reply.
cheeky
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Post by cheeky »

I have cut and pasted this from a previous article. Steinslots is the author.
Steinslots wrote:The history of of Sega's involvement with Mills, as I understand it came about during the late '50s when the Mills management decided to expand machine production to the rest of the world and took on a friendly deal with Sega to produce the Mills design under license from Mills but Badged Sega. They were given the tooling and full design rights.

But things went pear-shaped when Mills ran into financial difficulties and apparently Sega took over their debts and so effectively liquidated the Mills name.

This explains why Sega internal parts are so similar (and sometimes interchangeable with) Mills internal parts, up to the point where Sega were producing their own designs (Mid/late '60s). The only noticeable difference being the part numbers and the chrome plating.

Most of the parts were probably produced on Mills press tools anyway!

Most of the Mills had a serial number PRINTED underneath the cabinet across the bottom in black or blue ink. It is usually very faint. You will need to tip it right over to see it.

All of the internal Mills mechanism parts have a code commencing MLB. If you're not sure if just the mech has been changed for a Sega (as it will fit), have a look to see if MLB is stamped on the handle or damper assembly.

Mills also have a different internal facia surrounding the reels underneath the glass - I think there are 3 individual ones whereas Segas were geared up for flourescent lights and have a single white casting behind the glass.

There's a thing, oringinally very few Mills had any lighting except for the odd light-up panel at the top. The Segas were nearly all lit, and have earth wires installed everywhere. I think they also fitted anti-drill plates on the insides of the cabinet.
polaris
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Sega Manhattan

Post by polaris »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Picked up another machine, was on holiday but wife didn't mind doing trip on way home to collect :evil: . Anyway, maybe just me as not had proper look at it yet but appears not quite right. Also, can't find any reference to (Manhattan).
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riche100
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Re: Sega Manhattan

Post by riche100 »

Referenced thread now merged above - Site Admin.
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badpenny
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Re: Sega Manhattan

Post by badpenny »

Check this site for old Sega models

Your machine from a quick glance looks to have hand made graphics on top box and award card.

The escalator is interesting and is a model I've only seen once before.

BP
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Re: Ever hear of a Manhattan slot machine

Post by pennymachines »

A couple of Manhattans (with different top boxes), one listed as Mills, can be found in the Arena. I've owned one or two myself.
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urbanbody
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Re: Sega Manhattan

Post by urbanbody »

badpenny wrote:The escalator is interesting and is a model I've only seen once before.
I've found one like this for my Diamond 3 Star.
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polaris
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Re: Ever hear of a Manhattan slot machine

Post by polaris »

Thanks for info. It does appear to be somewhat cobbled together. The only part of the award card that seems original is '2' for a single cherry. Also, it has Alfred Newman on the reel strips. Are these original?
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treefrog
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Re: Ever hear of a Manhattan slot machine

Post by treefrog »

Polaris,

Your machine looks nice from the pictures, good paint (even if not original), good chrome, looks like someone has made some effort (I appreciate pictures can be deceiving). Can't see anything wrong with the escalator, other than it needs adjustment, as the coins are not within the jaws of the horizontal coin slide grips, very common issue. I do not believe this is Sega machine and there are many other threads on this topic....possibly a British copy using mechs either from Sega or other sources. I think I can see SG on the rear clamps, so Sega mech. The bulls eye rear door is a givaway and probably original to the machine.

I do have a spare award for this type of machine, but I am afraid a 20 coin payout (currently a pot plant in the garden). The man who knows more about Lite-Up variants than anyone else, but does not use the forum, and has had made loads of top box awards for Mad Money machines and awards plates has stated before that not all these parts are interchangeable with non Sega machines, so be warned.

Why are you concerned about the machine? By the way I have a box full of top box plates for various themes for non Sega machine I bought from the above person, so if you want something different looking, I will try and find them and post a pic.....

Also worth checking if it has 10 payout slide or the full 20, as some were disabled and can be converted back..
polaris
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Re: Ever hear of a Manhattan slot machine

Post by polaris »

Hi TF,
I'm not overly concerned about the machine - just trying to understand what's going on with it. I would like to tidy it up so a new award card would be nice but, like I say, the payouts are random and some don't correspond. Also, Mad Money connection on the reel strips - if relevant I could maybe put the MM theme in top box.
cheeky
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Re: Ever hear of a Manhattan slot machine

Post by cheeky »

Just to add another dimension to the discussion. The Mills machines had Mills deeply embossed in the metal in a similar fashion to Sega machines.

I remember sometime back that there was a suggestion that another company was copying the design. Certainly, there is evidence that some mechs were neither Sega nor Mills. I had one of these machines in the past but never really got to the bottom of who made it. !PUZZLED!
aristomatic
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Re: Ever hear of a Manhattan slot machine

Post by aristomatic »

Here's an old pix that I still have on my desktop pc. It's one of the myriad of models described within this thread. I have never bothered checking the inside of the castings on any of these model variants. Perhaps I should have done on the one pictured and may have gleaned more pertinent information. I have heard people refer to these models as "light ups", e.g. "it's a Sega lightup".

Back to the pix.

The machine had a Mills logo topbox sign and a Mills logo non jackpot award glass. The Mills logo on the front castings was just a badge though, so whether this was officially Mills manufactured or one of the many knock off machines being supplied with both original and knock off parts, I have no idea. If anyone has a similar machine, I'd be interested to know whether the inside of castings are stamped MLB. However, that of course doesn't guarantee it is/was Mills manufactured.

This Mills badged machine had the chromed edging running down either side of the front castings, which was flat and not grooved, as you tend to see on most, but not all, Sega embossed versions. However, these could have again been cheap knock offs for this version or replacements at a later date etc.

GP
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