# Episode 351 - The Auto-Mission Coin Divider **Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast **Type:** podcast_episode **Published:** 2016-02-25 **Duration:** 6m 55s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-351-the-auto-mission-coin-divider --- ## Analysis Nick Baldridge explains the auto-mission coin divider, a Bally bingo mechanism from the 1970s designed to split incoming coins between an operator's primary cash box and a bar owner's secondary cash box. The device uses a coil-driven metal plate and adjustable coin unit to divert a predetermined ratio of coins (ranging from 1-in-6 to 1-in-2) to a hidden secondary box, allowing both parties to take their cut without manual intervention. Baldridge covers the mechanism's design, adjustability, troubleshooting, and practical uses in shared-venue operations. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Bally created the auto-mission coin divider in the 1970s to allow operators and bar owners to each access their own cash boxes without direct contact — _Nick Baldridge, podcast host, describing historical context of the mechanism_ - [HIGH] The coin divider can be adjusted to divert anywhere from 1-in-6 to 1-in-2 coins to the secondary cash box — _Nick Baldridge, explaining the adjustable range of the mechanism_ - [HIGH] The secondary cash box was completely blocked off with wood so the bar owner could not adjust the coin unit themselves — _Nick Baldridge, describing the design to prevent unauthorized adjustment_ - [MEDIUM] These parts were frequently removed from games because operators didn't want to share or had different agreements with establishments — _Nick Baldridge, noting removal prevalence in surviving machines_ - [HIGH] The comeback key allowed bar owners to put credits back on the replay register for bingo players who left and returned — _Nick Baldridge, describing companion mechanism from the 1970s era_ ### Notable Quotes > "In the 1970s, Bally realized that it would be more efficient if the operator was able to take their portion from their own cash box and provide the bar owner with their own set of keys." > — **Nick Baldridge**, ~00:35 > _Explains the core business logic behind the mechanism's invention_ > "The secondary coin box was 100% the bar owner's take." > — **Nick Baldridge**, ~01:20 > _Clarifies the revenue split arrangement and purpose of the secondary box_ > "You can divert 1 and 6 all the way up to 1 and 2. so if you wanted to, you could put every other coin into that secondary cash box." > — **Nick Baldridge**, ~02:30 > _Details the adjustability range of the mechanism_ > "as that coin unit steps, depending on the adjustable lug that you've got this wire plugged into, It will turn the coil on, pulling a plate, which forces coins dropped to jump into the operator coin box." > — **Nick Baldridge**, ~03:45 > _Explains the mechanical operation of the coin diversion process_ > "if you find a bingo with an intact auto-emission coin divider it's a pretty neat mechanism to watch" > — **Nick Baldridge**, ~05:10 > _Indicates rarity and collector interest in surviving examples_ > "one in six would jump over to the secondary coin box, And so when I ran out of money completely I would have one of my total spending available to me again" > — **Nick Baldridge**, ~05:45 > _Personal anecdote demonstrating practical use case on his Double Up machine_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Nick Baldridge | person | Host of For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast, collector and restoration expert specializing in bingo machines | | Bally | company | Historical pinball and bingo machine manufacturer; designed the auto-mission coin divider mechanism in the 1970s | | Double Up | game | Bally bingo pinball machine owned by Nick Baldridge; used as example for demonstrating the auto-mission coin divider | | For Amusement Only | organization | EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast hosted by Nick Baldridge covering electromechanical and bingo pinball machines | ### Topics - **Primary:** Bingo Machine Mechanisms, Coin Handling and Revenue Sharing, Operator Economics and Bar Venue Agreements - **Secondary:** Electromechanical Design and Repair, Bingo Pinball History (1970s Era), Machine Restoration and Preservation ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0) ### Signals - **[historical_signal]** Documentation of Bally's 1970s-era auto-mission coin divider design addressing operational revenue-sharing between machine operators and venue owners (confidence: high) — Detailed technical explanation of how the mechanism functions, adjustability settings, and context of why Bally designed it - **[restoration_signal]** Auto-mission coin dividers are frequently found removed from surviving bingo machines, indicating rarity of intact examples and collector value (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge states 'these parts were frequently removed from the games' and 'if you find a bingo with an intact auto-emission coin divider it's a pretty neat mechanism to watch' - **[operational_signal]** Insight into historical operator-venue revenue sharing arrangements in bingo pinball era, including mechanisms for withholding payouts and protecting operator interests (confidence: high) — Explanation of comeback key, secondary cash box design, and operator ability to control payout availability --- ## Transcript what's that sound it's for amusement only the em and bingo pinball podcast welcome back to for amusement only this is Nicholas Baldridge tonight i wanted to talk about another bingo mechanism that i haven't discussed before it's called the auto mission coin divider and it has the world's catchiest name. But essentially all it does is divert certain coins to an ancillary cash box. I think I've talked about the basic mechanism in a very early episode, but today I wanted to go into more detail about how this works exactly. In the 1970s, Bally realized that it would be more efficient if the operator was able to take their portion from their own cash box and provide the bar owner with their own set of keys. This was the era when they created the comeback key, which allowed the bar owner to put credits back on the replay register for bingo players that left for a time and came back. This was also handy if the bar owner didn't feel like paying out a particularly good player. But at some point, they would max out the replay register and then I'm sure they would have to be paid out. At any rate, aside from the comeback key, the bar owner was also given another key which would allow them to get into a secret coin box which was hidden in the left wall of the bingo The secondary coin box was 100% the bar owner's take. now Bally cleverly designed a mechanism so that a portion of the coins went directly into the operator's coin box and the other portion went into the bar owner's coin box and this is the auto-emission coin divider now the way it works is this there's a metal plate which is driven it moves back and forth by a coil, and this coil is energized at certain positions of a coin unit. The coin unit is located in the cab and is simply a continuous stepper. Now it's adjustable based on how many coins you want to divert to the secondary cash box. You can divert 1 and 6 all the way up to 1 and 2. so if you wanted to, you could put every other coin into that secondary cash box. Pretty useful if you're the bar owner. And since that adjustment is not available to the bar owner, they can't just reach in and change it themselves, that secondary cash box area is completely blocked in with wood. The operator is free to determine how that works. And depending on their agreement, the bar owner may not have to see any of the regular take It just depends And I not familiar enough with how operating works in general to know exactly what would happen in a scenario where that coin unit failed or had some other problem. But what I can tell you is that as that coin unit steps, depending on the adjustable lug that you've got this wire plugged into, It will turn the coil on, pulling a plate, which forces coins dropped to jump into the operator coin box. Or it will move it out of the way, releasing it, allowing the coins to drop into a special ramp which goes to the secondary coin box. these parts were frequently removed from the games because the operators didn't want to share in that way or they had a different agreement with their establishments it's hard to say but if you find a bingo with an intact auto-emission coin divider it's a pretty neat mechanism to watch and you can have your own secondary set of coins to pay yourself or you can use that secondary set to refill your reserves, depending. When I first got my double up working, that was something I would do. As I put in coins, I would attempt to keep them in the operator coin box by default, but one in six would jump over to the secondary coin box, And so when I ran out of money completely I would have one of my total spending available to me again which would allow me to continue to play but it would force me to think pretty hard about how much money I was putting in versus how much was coming out. Now, if this doesn't work for whatever reason, if the coil never powers, then your problem lies within that coin unit. It's a very simple circuit. So either you have a broken wire somewhere leading back to the coil, your coil is dead, or your coin unit needs to be cleaned. You can try manually stepping it from position to position to see exactly what's going to happen. But that coin unit steps every time that a coin is inserted, and so it preps for the next coin that is inserted. Oh, the other use for this is for the bar owner to be able to pay out on the game when there were winnings on it without having to dip into their own cash reserves. They could dip into their take instead, which makes a lot more sense. So that's all for tonight. Thank you very much for joining me. My name again is Nicholas Baldridge, or you can reach me at 4amusementonlypodcast at gmail.com, or you can call me on the bingos line. That's 724-BINGOS-1, 724-246-4671. You can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter, at bingopodcast. You can follow me on Instagram, also at bingopodcast, or you can listen to us on our website, which is 4amusementonly.libsyn.com. thank you very much for listening and I'll talk to you next time _(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 1d930c88-b791-4aa5-b8d2-09223f783fe1*