Niche Collections: Scottie's Allwins

Welcome to the first installment of the Niche Collections series, where we get to geek out and celebrate the unique coin-op related collections out there.

One thing that starkly differentiates American and British gaming was the influence of laws and legislation.  American machines had state and Federal laws constantly pushing them towards the electromechanical innovations that flipper pinball inspired, while British machines stayed legal.  Recovering post-WW2, Britain could keep making these stunning purely mechanical skill-based slot machines.
American machines had to obfuscate and diminish their chance elements with flippers, abstract the chance for payouts with credits.  British machines could continue paying out directly with the coins put into the machine, and the same mechanisms that were popular pre-war were still popular after.

Automated coin-operated vending machines really took off in the 1940s around the world, and some allwins also represent the first of the automated redemption arcades.  The earliest coin games would offer you prizes of cigars or cigarettes or store credit, but you'd have to bring your win to the attention of the bartender or pharmacist to get paid out.  Allwins could dispense a sweet or cig automatically, with just the turn of the WIN knob.  They are perhaps a precursor to the Japanese 10Y redemption games of the 70s and 80s, and the contemporary redemption arcades we see today.

I hope you enjoy this series, and these machines, as much as I do!


Niche Collection 001:  Scottie's Allwins

the basics
who: Scottie Banks
where: Canada
what: British Allwins
when: "I purchased my first allwin back in 1986 at a local auction"
how many: 25 machines
why: "I like allwins because of the nice looking solid oak cabinet.  They're all mechanical and they pay out.  I bolt them to the wall and they don't take up much room."

Win A Spangles 1954

Win A Gift 1953

These games are mostly from the UK but France and Germany also made them.  They date back to 1870 and were made into the 1970s

The oliver whales square Four A Floor model machine with four games in it... WIN-A-NESTLES, WIN-A-CIG, WIN-A-CHEW and a second WIN-A-CHEW...  Did you notice the older style of the WIN-A-CHEW......spearmint gum used to be called ARROW MINT 

Win A Nestles 1955

Win A Cig 1949

Win A Chew (Spearmint) 1954

Win A Chew (Arrow Mint)

The STEEPLE CHASE plays a bit different than most of my allwins.  If you get the ball into one of the cups on the top row, when you turn the payout knob you get your two pennies.  But you get another chance to win more money, because the ball comes out of the  hole on top of the middle row of cups and if the ball does go into a winning cup you turn the payout knob again and you get another two pennies!And then once again  the ball comes out the hole on top of the bottom row of cups and if it goes into the winning cup you get another 2 pennies for a total of 6 pennies.

Steeple Chase 1958

Sports Win

Ski Jump

Allwin Deluxe

So how do you play a allwin game?  Easy: first insert your large old british penny into the coin entry, top right.A ball drops in front of the hammer box.  Next you  pull back the spring loaded trigger (bottom right) the hammer fires the ball around the circular track.  If the ball goes into a lose cup the game is over, but if the ball goes into a win cup you turn the pay-out knob (bottom left) and your pennies (or chocolate bar, gum or cigarette) drops into the payout bowl (bottom middle) 

Allwin Deluxe (detail)

Allwin Deluxe (detail)

If you check out the pictures you will notice some of the games have a LOSE cups and some of them are ALLWINS

Play Ball 1936

Nine Pins

Jackpot

Anyone thinking of starting to collect these or any coin-op should invest in books and any magazines to learn about the history, how they work and even value.  Sadly there are very few book on these allwins, unlike American coin-ops.

Have A Go 1955

Elevenses 1955

Each Way 1954

Double Your Win

Another thing I like is the DOUBLE YOUR MONEY.  This feature you cannot see.  Most of the time if  win you win 6 pennies on a allwin you would have to turn the pay out knob 3 times getting 2 pennies at a time like on my HAVE A GO, EACH WAY or ELEVENSES, but on the DOUBLE YOUR MONEY no matter what you win 2, 4, or 6 pennies you just turn the payout knob ONCE and you get either 2, 4, or 6 all at once.

Double Your Money

Digger 1933

I also do like the "look" of 24 winning cups, being a large size allwin, with the stylish top of the game and the single cups.

24 Winning Cups 1949

Fun Fact: Allwins and pachinko share a common ancestor
Vertical machines from Europe date back to the late 19th century and were hugely influential.  They were to Europe what slot machines were to America: a foundational aspect of the entire coin-op industry.
Their exposure in Japan inspired the very first pachinko machines in the 1930s, which fused the gameplay of circular upright games with the features and aesthetics of the horizontal bagatelles.

Spare parts for these game are next to impossible to find so you better be handy at making your own if you come across a game that is missing parts.

3d printed replacement parts

3d printed replacement parts

The one in the middle is the size of most allwins;  "Have A Go" made by Oliver Whales in Red Car 1955.  It is (not counting the base) 18 inches wide by 31 1/2 inches high by 6 inches deep.the one on the left is called "digger" made by British Manufacturing Co. london 1933 is only 16 inches wide by 25 1/2 inches high by 7 inches deep.The one on the right called 24 Winning Cups also made by Oliver Whales in Red Car 1949 and it is 22 1/2 inches wide by 39 inches high by 6 1/2 inches deep.

Some more shots of the game room:

Some of the internals:

With a collection of gambling machines and an afternoon off, how do you enjoy spending time with them?

As for playing the allwins, I guess I don’t play them as much as I used to. 

I have been collecting for close to 40 years.  I used to collect gambling items; from slot machines (pace, Jennings, mills etc) to punch boards, cheating devices, trade stimulators, etc.  After 30 plus years I figured it was time to let someone else enjoy them.  I sold them all over a six year span and shipping all over the world. 

At the time I did have a few allwins and just couldn’t part with them so I just started to focus on just allwins.
Part of the enjoyment of collecting these is the fixing,cleaning and restoring them to working condition.  Besides that  the games room would look strange without any antique coin operated game to play.......

A few other machines in the collection that aren't Allwins:

The rotolite just has that old style arcarde look which draws you in

Rotolite 1950

Screen Stars 1940

The Greyhound Stadium 1910

Allwin Resources
Pennymachines.co.uk has a great online museum for allwins
Penny Arcade also has a good allwin page

Have a machine to sell?

Hi, Scottie Banks here.  If you have any Allwin and are looking to sell, please contact me at Scottiebanks07@gmail.com
Always looking to buy Allwins in any condition, working or not, or parts in any amount.  Please send pictures and price.  Will pay all mailing costs. 

Thank you, Scottie Banks.

Have a collection to showcase?
If you a niche collection that might be appropriate here, please email me at thetastates@gmail.com