Charles August Fey

Bavarian-born American inventor

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July 21, 2026

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Charles August Fey, a Bavarian-born American inventor, is credited with building the first modern slot machines in San Francisco in the late 1890s. He developed his first coin-operated gambling machine in 1894, followed by the "4-11-44" and the "Card Bell" in 1898, which was the first three-reel slot machine with automatic cash payouts. Fey's most famous invention was the "Liberty Bell" slot machine in 1899, which featured horseshoes, bells, and card suit symbols on its reels. Three bells in a row triggered the top payout. Unfortunately, due to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, only a few of these machines survive. Fey's innovations were quickly copied by competitors, and his work laid the foundation for the slot machines we know today.1

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slot machine
…invented by Bavarian-born American inventor Charles August Fey, at the time a mechanic in San Francisco, who built his first coin-operated gambling machine in 1894. The following year Fey built the 4-11-44 in his basement; it proved so successful at a local saloon that he soon quit his job and…
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…invented by Bavarian-born American inventor Charles August Fey, at the time a mechanic in San Francisco, who built his first coin-operated gambling machine in 1894. The following year Fey built the 4-11-44 in his basement; it proved so successful at a local saloon that he soon quit his job and…
Read More