Saw this at an antique shop... not sure what it is... Anyone? Silver King Coin Board Gambling?

illini420 · July 29, 2014 6:29AM

Was at an antique shop earlier today and came across this. It looked pretty neat with the images of coins, but wasn't in the best of condition. All of the spots with coins are recessed and would appear to hold coins like a Whitman folder. Didn't seem too old either as the images of the Kennedy Halves are dated 1967. Just really didn't know what it was. Seems people were buying chances for 25 cents each to try to win up to $25.00 each. But were there coins in the board to win as well? Or did the gamblers put the coin in? Also, several of the holes in the board were punched out. The board is probably around 18" x 24" in size and around 1" thick. Was on the fence about whether to buy it or not but figured I'd see if anyone knew what it was and/or how this worked.

brg5658 · July 29, 2014 6:34AM

Looks to be some sort of antiquated lottery / gambling device.

No idea how it actually worked/works.

Timbuk3 · July 29, 2014 6:35AM

Cool, I like it !!!

BigMoose · July 29, 2014 6:47AM

That item is an old "punchboard". My grandfather used to have these in his tavern. A quarter got you one "punch" and the number within was either a loser(most of the time) or a winner of anything from one dollar to $1350.00, according to the example shown. These were illegal and very popular back in the day.

CaptHenway · July 29, 2014 6:53AM

That wasn't 1,350 silver dollars. The rolled up piece of paper somewhere on that board with number 1350 on it won you one of the larger prizes. I think you peeled up that picture next to the 1350 and the prize ($2 or $10 or $15 or $25) underneath was revealed.

illini420 · July 29, 2014 6:57AM

I think if someone got ticket number 1350 they would get the silver dollar in that spot as those spots look like they held coins at one time with the images behind the actual coins.

astrorat · July 29, 2014 7:14AM

<< That item is an old "punchboard". My grandfather used to have these in his tavern. A quarter got you one "punch" and the number within was either a loser(most of the time) or a winner of anything from one dollar to $1350.00, according to the example shown. These were illegal and very popular back in the day. >>

The board only appears to have $625 in revenue from the "punches." The pay out would be much less than the revenue.

Coinosaurus · July 29, 2014 7:18AM

<< The pay out would be much less than the revenue. >>

Herein lies the concept of gambling

TommyType · July 29, 2014 7:23AM

<< The board only appears to have $625 in revenue from the "punches." The pay out would be much less than the revenue. >>

They revenue would be hurt since I'm sure sales drop off dramatically once you get down to, say, 1/4 of the slots left, and the folks in the bar keep track which "big prizes" have been won.

There are 5 $25 winners ($125), and there are 64 numbers called out as $1 winners ($64)....14 Red silver dollars ($14+?)....12 blue Kennedy halves, presumably 40% or 1964 silver ($6+)....But the board is oddly silent on how many $15 through $2 winners there are.

The owner could still clear a couple hundred, maybe?

Justacommeman · July 29, 2014 7:23AM

<< I think if someone got ticket number 1350 they would get the silver dollar in that spt as those spots look like they held coins at one time with the images behind the actual coins. >>

Try this.

Worthpoint has some other examples

MJ

TennesseeDave · July 29, 2014 7:52AM

I remember playing some of those years ago. It was a 2500 punch board which would bring .25 per punch or $625.00
Usually the owner of the board would remove the board when most of the holes had been punched out if several of the better prizes had not been won to increase thier proffit. On more than one occasion I have found the boards with only a few punches left(say 100) with several good prizes left.Then you could pay the $25 and get all the remaining prizes and coins.However the coins were usually polished up nicely to give the non informed the appearance of nicer coins.

Wabbit2313 · July 29, 2014 8:02AM

That's cool. Here is another example with a larger image and still wrapped in the plastic! CLICK HERE:

ms70 · July 29, 2014 8:09AM

Cool. I like the old one since it has a little history. I'd frame it!

lostincoins · July 29, 2014 8:20AM

Wabbit did you read that listing it had the coins in it.

astrorat · July 29, 2014 8:27AM

<< 

<< The pay out would be much less than the revenue. >>

Herein lies the concept of gambling

>>

Yep ... my point was that a pay out greater than $625 is nonsensical.

LindeDad · July 29, 2014 8:29AM

Elk's and other lodges used to have ones like that, that I used to play once in awhile.

Wabbit2313 · July 29, 2014 8:38AM

<< Wabbit did you read that listing it had the coins in it. >>

I did, and it sure is cool. I guess there is no way to prove if someone put that together later on, but the board is brand new.

MsMorrisine · July 29, 2014 9:41AM

I've seen these played

Used a paperclip to punch out the slip of paper in the board.

They died out long ago without much said where I was. The video poker machines next to the video arcade games went out with more of a stink.

Veep · July 29, 2014 10:12AM

There's a great scene in the movie "The Flim Flam Man" in which George C Scott and Michael Sarazzin (sp?) team-up. Scott sells the board to a merchant and Sarazzin stumbles in later to win all of the prizes (having remembered the location of the winners).

fishteeth · July 29, 2014 11:58AM

you can still find bars in Northern WI with similar things. Usually the prizes are bottles of booze around here

edix2001 · July 29, 2014 12:18PM

I remember something like that came out of penny weight scales outside shops or in Cracker Jacks boxes back in the 1960s.

3keepSECRETif2rDEAD · July 29, 2014 2:22PM

<< you can still find bars in Northern WI with similar things. Usually the prizes are bottles of booze around here >>

...the best prize possible is a bottle of booze when in a bar, cause any monies won would just be spent on the next round with tip

Erik

BLUEJAYWAY · July 29, 2014 7:38PM

<< I remember playing some of those years ago. It was a 2500 punch board which would bring .25 per punch or $625.00
Usually the owner of the board would remove the board when most of the holes had been punched out if several of the better prizes had not been won to increase thier proffit. On more than one occasion I have found the boards with only a few punches left(say 100) with several good prizes left.Then you could pay the $25 and get all the remaining prizes and coins.However the coins were usually polished up nicely to give the non informed the appearance of nicer coins. >>

This example of removing the board angle applies to those fish bowl pull tabs. Owner would keep track of the payouts,when possible. Once it was established the "bigger fish" were still in there,bar owner would "reel in" them.

Treashunt · July 29, 2014 10:52PM

<< That wasn't 1,350 silver dollars. The rolled up piece of paper somewhere on that board with number 1350 on it won you one of the larger prizes. I think you peeled up that picture next to the 1350 and the prize ($2 or $10 or $15 or $25) underneath was revealed. >>

agreed

2manycoins2fewfunds · July 30, 2014 3:35AM

From George C. Scott in the Flim Flam Man.

Start at the 5 minute mark.............

Cheating on punch boards.....................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oHhzorkmnw&list=PLh8OLtRg2QtajshOWnmqJDYrZehRkEnZa&index=45

tydye · July 30, 2014 3:48AM

It is a punch board. We still play these in PA at the Fire Halls and private clubs You punch out tiny rolled up slips of paper and match the prizes on the face. I won $250 on one last week but in general try to stay away. Payout is usually 80% So on a 1500 count punch board the club makes around 300 and the payout prizes are 1200.

Saw this at an antique shop... not sure what it is... Anyone? Silver King Coin Board Gambling?

Comments

Leave a Comment