Antique Vintage Mills Vest Pocket 5¢ Nickel Casino Slot Machine

Description

Hailed as one of the world's smallest slot machines!
Mills Vest Pocket slot machines were manufactured circa 1938-1952 and produced by the Mills Novelty Company in the U.S. These little, toaster-sized machines were made for the intention of having a fully functioning 5¢ gambling device that did not obviously "look" like a slot machine. In the event of a police raid, the proprietor simply had to "flip" the top award card over, hiding the 3 reels and payout card and making it look like an ordinary radio, gumball machine or toaster.
This simple slot machine operates on a single nickel. Put the nickel in the coin slot, push the lever in, and then as the lever is pulled back out, the reels are activated. If the reels stop on a winning combination, the winnings are dispensed to the coin box at the front of the machine (concealed by a flap). According to my research, the top payout for a 5¢ gamble was 20 coins (.00).
This machine
seems
to be in good working condition, although I am certainly not an expert. It accepts a nickel and all three reels spin
around. I haven't been able to get it to land on a winner, so I'm not sure if the payout mechanism is working. There is some scratching and slight corrosion on the chrome (see pics), but the graphics look nice and bright. The glass covering the reels is in excellent, clean condition. The original Mills Novelty key is with it and opens up the back without issue. As can be seen in the pictures, the plastic feet on the bottom are corroded, which seems to be pretty typical on these.
Please note: This machine weighs more than 18 pounds. I am located in New York and my .00 shipping estimate is based upon shipping clear across the country. If you are closer and the shipping cost is significantly less, then I will refund you any overcharge.
According to my research, it is illegal to own one of these machines if you are a resident of the following states: Connecticut, Hawaii, Nebraska, South Carolina and Tennessee. Please do not bid if you reside in one of these states.