Guide to Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter Games: With Values (A Schiffer Book for Collectors)

The perfect vintage collectible is one with a beginning and an end, and yet still numerous enough to enable enthusiasts to build collections. Here's a comprehensive guide to just such a collectible. Coin operated trade stimulators and counter games got their start in the saloons of the 1880s. Things changed with the coming of the Prohibition and the disappearance of saloons in 1920. Checkout counters in stores, restaurants, and cigar shops became the primary locations, where these counter games helped stimulate trade. The Great Depression, followed by the Repeal of Prohibition in 1933 propelled the industry to new heights and prominent makers such as Groetchen Tool, Buckley, Bally, Pierce Tool, and many others were kept busy until the 1960s. You'll get to know all the makers and their machines by name, date, and appearance in this colorful collector's guide. Over 800 photos, detailed machine descriptions, manufacturer production data, and an interchangeable machine name list will make you an instant expert, ready for shows, auctions, and collector trading. The accompanying price guide will insure that you buy or sell smart and well. Plus, you'll enjoy every page for its interesting history and content in the most complete book on this subject to ever see print.