Interesting Find From Circulation

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Originally posted by BERRY4402

....reading your comments for about the third time, I must ask, "What is a pokie machine?"

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I can answer that one. A pokie machine is a machine at a casino, pub, RSL, or a club where you put in your dollar coin (or other coin) and you either press the button or pull down the lever to see if you win. I think they are called 'slot machines' in America. They are another way of losing your money, but they make cool sounds and have funky pictures, and that is supposed to compensate. If you do win, coins come tumbling out the bottom for you. I hope I have explained this properly?

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Originally posted by BERRY4402

Yass, after reading your comments for about the third time, I must ask, "What is a pokie machine?" I doubt that all of the other forum members know what it is. I appreciate the language lesson and sorry that I have to ask. Thanks Yass.

Berry

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According to Wikpedia: Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn, New York developed a gambling machine in 1891 that could be considered a precursor to the modern slot machine. It contained 5 drums holding a total of 50 card faces and was based on poker.

In Australia they are called poker machines, or more commonly "the Pokies".

All of the pokies in Australia have push buttons, but it wasn't that long ago when they had a lever arm to spin the wheels. Hence, they were, and still are, known as 'One Arm Bandits' because they will generally rob you blind and leave you penniless.

I reckon they're a wonderful source of collectable coins. What I do from time to time is to mark a $1 coin with an indelible "X". I feed it, and (say) 20 coins, into the machine and press the collect button. I sort through the resultant coins and feed them back into machine until the "X" pops back out again. It doesn't always work that well. I don't know here the 'X' gets to but there are times when that's the last I ever see of it. Must be that bandit inside the machine. I also get a lot of strange looks, but over the years, I've grown used to them.

I have found some wonderful coins using this method. For example, I have found 4 x 2000 mules valued at apprx $400 each. The 2000 barcelona dollar is valued at say $60 unc. I know of an Aussie coin forum member who found a Victoria Cross $1 at $200 unc. However, you do have to be disciplined, don't play the machine otherwise your entire stake may finish in the black hole. I recycle coins in this manner because the staff get extremely annoyed if I simply put paper money in and press the collect button thereby emptying their machine.

WOw. IF only the value of silver dollars were known back then.

They were fairly common a few years ago, but I think people are starting to hoard those Bicentennial quarters.

This doesn't really have anything to do with slot machines,but about silver dollars,many many many years ago,back when having a baby didn't cost the tens of thousands of dollars they do today,my dad paid for me in cash with a great big bag of silver dollars he had been saving in plans for me one day.He owned a little grocery store in union city,and guess got quite a few in there for payment.I always thought that was kinda unique and special.I love my dad :) sn31.

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Originally posted by Gary Burke

My first experience with a slot machine was in the 1950's, when I was 10.

We were traveling from Colorado to California, and stopped in Reno, Nevada. My parents gave me $5 to spend, and rather than using the penny, nickel, or dime slots, I used the dollar machine. Guess what?! Back then they didn't use tokens, but real silver dollars.

My five didn't last very long, but I can still remember dropping them in the slot, and then pulling the handle.

In the 60's, when first married, my wife and I also traveled to California, and stopped in Reno. I think they still used real silver dollars. I remember the wife stepping away from the dollar machine she was using, to get more coins, and the person who took her place instantly won $800. Can you imagine winning 800 silver dollars? If we only knew then what we know now.

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sn31: That sure is one of the ironies of life. You got paid for in Silver Dollars and now you're a coin collector. I'm surprised that's not what they named you! Wow! That's a cool story!

Somehow, I wound up with a 1968 "10 New Pence" I am not sure what coin slot the American grocery store would have put this in since it is a lot bigger than a quarter.

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