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VE 11-50 X

RARITY: ¤¤¤¤   VALUE:  ¤¤¤ 

The VE 11-50 was Victor's first attempt at a coin-operated phonograph, using their 'Second Generation' record changer (same as used in the VE 10-69 and others). It was introduced at the end of 1928. The 11-50 was an automatic electronically-amplified phonograph using a paper-cone speaker, similar to that used on numerous other home models of that era. It had a sister-model, the VE 11-25, which used an acoustic horn rather than an amplifer, but was otherwise identical. The 11-50 had the advantage of producing more volume and somewhat better fidelity that the acoustic version.

Competing phonograph manufacturers had been in the coin-operated (jukebox) phonograph business for many years; Victor wanted a "piece of the action" and hoped to make their own coin-op machine for small restaurants and businesses. The design was somewhat of a compromise; they used "home quality" mechanical components that they were already manufacturing and adapted them into a commercial application. This resulted in some significant drawbacks. The user could not select a particular recording to hear; whatever was next on the stack of would be the next song played after the coin was inserted. After the group of 12 stacked records had all been played, the owner or operator of the machine would have to unlock the front panel and manually re-stack them in order to repeat this cycle.  This major inconvenience, along with the fact that the record-changing system had ongoing reliability problems, likely doomed the machine's success from the start.

The original selling price of the VE 11-50 was set at $950.00, which equates to approximately $14,500.00 in today's money. The total number produced is uncertain, but it is likely that the first few "prototypes" that the company put into service were quickly rejected by potential customers. The 11-25 / 11-50 development project was likely was cancelled at that time.

It is probable that fewer than 10 of these machines ever came off the assembly line. While collectors today prize these early automatic changer models, the complexity of repair and required ongoing maintenance of these machines limits the current market valuation.

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