This Regina disc music box, showcased in the museum’s gaol, was developed in the late 19th century, following the cylinder music box. Being able to change what music the box was playing became a major selling point for this music box, since unlike a cylinder music box, which had the music fixed on the cylinder itself, a disc music box came with several changeable metal discs. As seen with this specific box, these music boxes could also be modified to be coin operated, making them a popular addition to hotels and businesses.
The typical disc music boxes, which would produce sound when the disc was brushed by a metal comb that would strike the punctures in the metal discs, were driven by mechanical means such as springs and did not use electric power. With disc music boxes first appearing in Germany by 1886, they were later sold by the Regina Company of New Jersey in the early 1890s. Disc music boxes were popular during the period of 1890-1910, but were eventually superseded by other music playing devices such as the gramophone. A similar Regina music box to the one seen here appears in the 1898 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalog, selling for $78.95 and extra "tune sheets" selling for 76 cents each. Considering inflation, this would be equivalent to almost $2000 today!