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Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2026 3:25 am
by poodling around
Steve wrote: Thu Jan 29, 2026 8:01 pm
poodling around wrote: Thu Jan 29, 2026 2:03 pm
Steve wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 10:09 am
Can anyone recommend a reliable source for acquiring such currency today? Obviously, I am only looking to acquire a few dozen coins at the most! I have several German coin-ops, but don't want to risk getting the mechanisms seized up with the use of non-original but similar sized (probably British) coins.
Many thanks.
In terms of your German coin-ops, what do they look like when the front doors are open I wonder ? Is there just one horn behind the left hand side door, (where the sound comes out of) and nothing behind the right hand side door ? Also, do they all have the coin slot on the top motor-board or are some on the side ?
Thanks Steve as always !
They don't have any doors, they are large external horn models. The coin slots are on the top.
Oh, I hadn't thought of that !
Very interesting that they are all 'top coin slots though' ........
Thank you.
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2026 6:32 am
by CarlosV
poodling around wrote: Thu Jan 29, 2026 10:17 am
CarlosV wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 9:28 am
What does it look like when the front doors are open ? Is there just one horn behind the left hand side door, (where the sound comes out of) and nothing behind the right hand side door ?
Also, was the gramophone lid meant to be closed when it started playing do you think ?
Thank you so very much once again.
Here is the photo of the machine with open doors. As to closing the lid, I presume it was up to the user, the lid is high enough to prevent any interference when it is lowered while playing a disc.
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2026 6:47 am
by CarlosV
Steve wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 10:09 am
Can anyone recommend a reliable source for acquiring such currency today? Obviously, I am only looking to acquire a few dozen coins at the most! I have several German coin-ops, but don't want to risk getting the mechanisms seized up with the use of non-original but similar sized (probably British) coins.
Many thanks.
Steve, I bought in German eBay a bunch of old pfenning coins years ago, to feed my coin ops that are mostly German-made. I remember that there were many sellers of these coins, sold in bunches from early 20th century mint period. They are not relevant for numismatists, so they go for low prices. I also found that the German mechanisms work with US pennies as well. These mechanisms are activated by weight, and one of my machines requires three instead of two coins until it trips to start the motor and the arm (I don't discard that the original owner may have doctored the mechanism to rip off the customers). The one that is very specific is the French Concert Automatique, that only works with the large franc coin known as franc de bois.
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2026 7:34 am
by poodling around
CarlosV wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2026 6:32 am
poodling around wrote: Thu Jan 29, 2026 10:17 am
CarlosV wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 9:28 am
What does it look like when the front doors are open ? Is there just one horn behind the left hand side door, (where the sound comes out of) and nothing behind the right hand side door ?
Also, was the gramophone lid meant to be closed when it started playing do you think ?
Thank you so very much once again.
Here is the photo of the machine with open doors. As to closing the lid, I presume it was up to the user, the lid is high enough to prevent any interference when it is lowered while playing a disc.
Thank you again Carlos.
You have been so very helpful to me and I really appreciate it.
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2026 4:34 pm
by Curt A
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2026 7:55 pm
by Dave D
I believe you need a 10 Groschen coin. It might be similar in size to the 10 Pfennig, but I am not sure.
Dave D
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 4:36 am
by Sidewinder
just for the sake of authenticity:
"After failing to interest manufacturers, Thompson sold his self-centering design to Phillips in 1935. Phillips formed the Phillips Screw Company in 1934. After refining the design (U.S. Patent #2,046,343, U.S. Patents #2,046,837 to 2,046,840) for the American Screw Company of Providence, Rhode Island, Phillips succeeded in bringing the design to industrial manufacturing and promoting its rapid adoption as a machine screw standard.] American Screw then spent $500,000 originating a method of manufacture. One of the first customers was General Motors, who used the design in 1936 for its Cadillac assembly-lines. By 1940, 85% of U.S. screw manufacturers had a license for the design."
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 6:12 am
by CarlosV
Dave D wrote: Sun Feb 01, 2026 7:55 pm
I believe you need a 10 Groschen coin. It might be similar in size to the 10 Pfennig, but I am not sure.
Dave D
The pfenning coins work well. The coin slot mechanisms were relatively primitive and based on the weight of the coin. If it clears the slot, it will get to a pivot slide that will go down like a balance and trip with the coin weight. Sometimes, when one coin is not enough, I insert another one to trip it.
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 6:21 am
by Steve
CarlosV wrote: Mon Feb 02, 2026 6:12 am
Dave D wrote: Sun Feb 01, 2026 7:55 pm
I believe you need a 10 Groschen coin. It might be similar in size to the 10 Pfennig, but I am not sure.
Dave D
The pfenning coins work well. The coin slot mechanisms were relatively primitive and based on the weight of the coin. If it clears the slot, it will get to a pivot slide that will go down like a balance and trip with the coin weight. Sometimes, when one coin is not enough, I insert another one to trip it.
I can use an old English "One Penny" piece to operate my L' Automatique du Francaise.
Re: Polydor Coin-op
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 6:40 am
by Sidewinder
Here a collection of 10 Gr
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=38 ... m570.l1313
As pointed out earlier, this phillips screw should be replaced with something more time authentic
- phillips.JPG (47.01 KiB) Viewed 944 times