The New Nickel Machines/First Slots

The first slot machines generation was called New Nickel Machines, presented in 1887. The first slots were invented by Charles Fey, Gustav Schultze, and Theodore Holtz. They are so-called Fathers of the first slots; all these people were in one or another way involved in the electrical slots manufacturing business.

Charles Fey is a man, who invented the first slot machine named Liberty Bell in 1985. The idea was taken from the popular lottery game Policy, to be more exact the winning combination 4-11-44.  The slot itself had three reels with 5 symbols on each reel. However, it was Gustav Schultze, known manufacturer and operator of slots, who inspired Fey to create the first slot. The year before Schultze created nickel-in-the-slot-machine, the so-called predecessor to Liberty Bell.

With the invention of slots California and near-by states went under the mass hysteria. Slots became of huge popularity and success because of their easy-to-play concept and money prizes. Fey understood the huge potential of his invention and together with his partner Theodore Holtz continued to produce new modified slots.

In 1907 Charles Fey joined Mills Novelty Company. The company used Fey's designs and manufactured the Mills Liberty Bell that differed by equipping it with a gooseneck coin entry and introduction of the fruit symbols. Few years later a new version was introduced to the market - the Operator Bell, these were heavy monsters that weighted over 100 pounds, and more than 30,000 machines were made and distributed in the San Francisco area. Such popularity of slots made US Government to work out series of anti-gambling resolutions. Charles Fey had to be clever, so he designed many machines to work like vending machines.

In order to make a quieter machine, Mills Company invented another variation of a good old Liberty Bell - Silent Bell. In some time a series of distinctive cabinets came: the Lion Head in early 1931, the War Eagle and the Roman Head in late 1931, and the Castle Front in 1933.

These days, you can play slots at online casinos and you don't even need a nickel because you can play a wide range of free online slots from the comfort of your home.