Chicago Coin

Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company was one of the most prolific and enduring pinball manufacturers in American history, producing games from the dawn of the coin-operated amusement industry in the early 1930s through the Solid State transition of the late 1970s. Founded by Sam Wolberg and Sam Gensburg in Chicago, the company operated for more than four decades — a span that encompasses nearly the entire arc of classic pinball.

During the Electromechanical era, Chicago Coin was a reliable second-tier manufacturer, never quite matching the market dominance of Gottlieb, Bally, or Williams, but consistently producing games that operators valued for their solid construction and dependable earning power. The company’s catalog ranged across pinball, pitch-and-bat games, gun games, and shuffle alleys, reflecting the diversified approach that characterized many mid-century Chicago amusement firms. Designers including Al Schlappa, Ed Sermonti, and Jerry Koci contributed to a body of work that favored straightforward, accessible gameplay over mechanical extravagance.

Chicago Coin attempted the leap to Solid State electronics in the late 1970s but managed only a handful of titles before ceasing pinball production around 1977. The company’s long run and large catalog — spanning hundreds of models from Charm in 1932 to late-era electromechanicals like Stampede — make it an essential chapter in the story of Chicago’s amusement manufacturing corridor, even if its individual machines rarely achieved the fame of its better-known competitors.