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A little history on Chicago Coin

Chicago Coin was founded in the early 1930s in Chicago, Illinois, during the rise of the coin-operated amusement industry. The company quickly became a significant player in the emerging pinball market, producing early electromechanical games that capitalized on the growing popularity of pinball. Unlike some of its competitors, Chicago Coin focused on creating affordable, accessible machines that appealed to both arcade operators and casual players. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the company expanded its product line beyond pinball, manufacturing shuffle alleys, bowling games, and even early arcade-style machines.

By the 1960s and 1970s, Chicago Coin remained active in the pinball industry but struggled to keep up with competitors like Bally, Williams, and Gottlieb, which were introducing more advanced designs and gameplay features. In 1976, facing financial difficulties, Chicago Coin was acquired by Sam Stern (father of Gary Stern) and rebranded as Stern Electronics. Under new ownership, the company shifted its focus toward the solid-state pinball revolution of the late 1970s and early 1980s. While the Chicago Coin name faded, its influence on the industry persisted through Stern, which eventually evolved into Stern Pinball, one of the leading pinball manufacturers today.

Chicago Coin logo

Pinballs:

Hee Haw_1973 04 01

Hee Haw

Hee Haw was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1973-04-01
Casino_1972 06 01

Casino

Casino was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1972-06-01
Hi Score Pool_1971 08 01

Hi-Score Pool

Hi-Score Pool was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1971-08-01
Big Flipper_1970 01 01

Big Flipper

Big Flipper was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1970-01-01
Cowboy_1970 01 01

Cowboy

Cowboy was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1970-01-01
Action_1969 09 01

Action

Action was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1969-09-01
Moon Shot_1969 08 01

Moon Shot

Moon Shot was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1969-08-01
Astronaut_1969 06 01

Astronaut

Astronaut was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1969-06-01
Pirate Gold_1969 01 01

Pirate Gold

Pirate Gold was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1969-01-01
Playtime_1968 10 01

Playtime

Playtime was manufactured by Chicago Coin and was released 1968-10-01