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Page 26 The Antique Shoppe May, 2018
Poison the Rat & Other Arcade Games of WWII

by Larry LeMasters
LeMasters’ Antique News Service

During the late 1930s and all of the war years of One of the most popular counter-top arcade
World War II, Groetchen Tool & Mfg. Company games of the early1940s was “Poison the Rat.”
of the USA provided Americans with counter-top This Groetchen game depicted Adolf Hitler, and
amusement in the form of penny arcade games. a player tried to “Poison” Hitler (the “Rat) by
Penny arcade games were popular since for placing a steel pinball into his mouth as his head
the mere price of 1¢, a customer could obtain tilted left and right. Five plays for a penny and
a gumball and try to win a pack of cigarettes at the machine dispensed a gumball to all losers.
the same time. No one was a loser, and some Today, this 1¢ game is considered one of the
happy players literally smoked their way all the rarest Groetchen games, making it highly desired, and it is valued at nearly
way home. In 1940, the $10,000.
average price of a pack of cigarettes was 10¢ ($1.70 in Groetchen Tool & Mfg. Co. made 76 counter-top arcade games during
2017 prices), so the gamble of a penny might bring 10- the 1930s and ‘40s. Some of the games included Smack-A-Jap, Kill the
fold return. Jap (1943), Champion, Wings, Dial-it, Liberty Bell, Zoom, Liberty, Sparks
Part of the appeal of playing arcade games was their Champion, Poison the Rat, Liberty Sports Parade,
location—most often they were set up in bars and taverns and Skill Shot.
where 1¢ pieces rained like pennies from heaven when For more information on WWII arcade games,
one was drinking. Another large part of their appeal check out VAPS—Vintage Arcade Preservation
was their anti-Axis powers (Japan, Germany, and Italy) Society at www.arcade-museum.com.
WWII propaganda.
Above: “Poison the Rat” allowed Americans to slip a poison Above: Imp arcade game manufactured by
pill (steel ball) into Hitler’s mouth. It only cost 1¢ for five Groetchen Tool and Mfg.
poison pills. In good condition, “Poison the Rat” is valued at This game is valued at $350.
$10,000.
Left: “Kill a Jap” counter-top arcade game by
Right: “Yankee” counter-top arcade game, circa 1941-49, Groetchen Tool & Mfg. Co. This game was quite
made by the Groetchen Tool & Mfg. Co. Metal plate on machine reads,
“Your coin buys ball of gum for your AMUSEMENT line up three of a kind popular during WWII and is still popular with
and obtain 1 PACK OF CIGARETTES any 15¢ brand.” collectors. It is valued at $900.

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