IPSND:Finding Serial Numbers on your Game

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The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database or IPSND collects serial numbers of pinball machines and publishes a database of these on the Internet. Our goal is to make available a registration of all pinball machines in existence and allow tools for slicing, dicing and visualization of the data.

Games: 6,708 Serials: 72,862 Visitors: 88,161,933 Members: 5,940 Photos: 48,183 Lat/Lng: 41,236 Masks: 72,862(1,086.20%) Traits: 578 Nudges: 244,252 Backglasses: 1,865
Most Serials: Twilight Zone(1,391) Most Submissions: Dennis Braun(6,218) Most Points: Dennis Braun(46,303) Highest Quality: The Knight(17.00) Most Nudges: pinballservice-nl(31,695)

Locating Serial Numbers on a Pinball Machine:

Finding serial numbers on a game can sometimes be quite challenging. They are commonly hidden, painted over, destroyed or just in non-obvious places. The main difficulty is that manufacturers put their serial numbers in a variety of places in and out of the game and then they often changed the location of the serial number as time went on. Several manufacturers used a consistent numbering system for many years and others changed their formats often. In addition, there are frequently numbers on a game that might not be the serial number at all, it could be a part number, an inspector number or something that has no connection to the actual serial number at all.

This page is a reference on how to locate serial numbers for all manufacturers in the database. The nice part is that you can add your own tips and suggestions for other people to read as well. I have added initial comments on the information that I have from Bill Ung out of the original Internet Pinball Project (now defunct). Feel free to submit new information on serial number locations specific to each manufacturer and appropriate time period.

Allied Leisure Industries, Inc. (1972-1979)	Genco Mfg. Co. (1931-1957)	Segasa d.b.a. Sonic (Spain)
American Pinball Inc., of Streamwood, Illinois	Global VR, of San Jose, California	Shyvers Automatic Coin Machine Co. (1934)
Astro Games Inc. (1979)	Interflip S. A. (Spain) (1975)	Stern Electronics, Inc. (1977-1984)
Atari, Inc. (1976-1983)	International Concepts (1989)	Stern Pinball, Inc. (1999-)
Atlas Indicator Works Inc. (1931-1932)	J. H. Keeney and Co. Inc. (1931-1964)	Stoner Mfg. Co. (1933-1941)
Bally Manufacturing Corporation (1931-1983)	Magister	T.H. Bergmann & Co. (Hamburg, Germany) (1952-1960)
Bally Midway Mfg. Co. (1983-1988)	Marvel Mfg. Co. (1944-1948)	Technoplay (San Marino, Italy) (1987-1989)
Bally Wulff (Germany) (1986-1987)	Micropin Corp. (1979-1980)	Thames Mfg. Co.
Bell games (Italy)	Midway Manufacturing Co. (1959-1978)	The Valley Company, Subsidiary of Walter Kidde & Co., Inc.
Better Games Co. (Flint, MI) (1933)	Midway Mfg. Co., a subsidiary of WMS Industries, Inc.	United Mfg. Co. (1942-1962)
Block Marble Co. (1948)	Mills Novelty Company (1932-1942)	Universal de Desarrollos Electronicos, S.A.
Century Consolidated Industries Company	Northwest Coin Machine Co. (1931-1932)	Wico Corp. (1977-1984)
Chicago Coin Machine Mfg. Co. (1932-1977)	O. D. Jennings and Co. (1932-1938)	Williams Electronic Games, Inc., a subsidiary of WMS Inc.
D. Gottlieb & Co. (1931-1977)	Pacific Amusement Mfg. Co. (1932-1937)	Williams Electronic Manufacturing Co. (1958-1967)
D. Gottlieb & Co., a Columbia Pictures Industries Company	Playmatic (Barcelona, Spain) (1974-1985)	Williams Electronics, Inc. (1967-1985)
Data East USA, Inc. (1987-1994)	Premier Technology (1984-1996)	Williams Manufacturing Company (1944-1958)
Exhibit Supply Co. (1932-1957)	Recel S. A. (Madrid, Spain) (1974-1986)	Wonder Wizard
Fascination Int., Inc. (1977-1979)	Sega Pinball, Inc. (American)	Zaccaria (Bologna, Italy) (1974-1987)
Game Plan, Inc. (1978-1985)	Segasa (Spain) (1972-1986)

(Please do not post serial numbers here, please use the Search Page, to find your specific game)

Posted 1/11/2007 11:49:28 PM by Bill Ung The newer Gottlieb/Premier games have a sticker, located near the left flipper, on the wall of the bottom arch, facing the upper-end of the playfield. The serial numbers here have always been in-tact. I guess operators munge the ones they find on the fronts of the cabinets, but perhaps most of them don't know where Gottlieb/Premier hides them. Unfortunately, G/P, to the best of our knowledge, do not post anywhere on the game, the original manufacturing date.
Posted 4/5/2008 7:20:10 PM by Jess Askey On games manufactured in the 80's the serial numbers seem to be stamped inside the cabinet next to the transformer on the cabinet. The serial numbers are generally 4-digits and are stamped in large black numbers.
Posted 8/19/2010 12:15:32 PM by PcN My machine has the sticker located as described by Bill above and also has a stamp on the left inside the cabinet. It is a five digit number
Posted 2/24/2011 9:03:13 PM by Darren Bambach Mine Doesnt seem to have Serial anywhere , Just Says Machine Number 472 or 742 printed under the playfield. What Do I do?
Posted 5/9/2011 1:17:14 PM by Gerald Fleuriet system80A are a stamped on the right inside the cabinet, 4 or 5 digit number
Posted 12/12/2011 7:49:23 PM by Jeff My 1995 Waterworld has a six digit serial number stamped on the inside of the cabinet underneath the coin box.
Posted 12/12/2012 9:38:31 AM by Skeeb Wilcox My G/P Rock machine has the stamped serial as Jess mentioned right over near the transformer on the cabinet bottom (see my picture I attached to my SN submission). Mine ALSO has the same serial number written in BLACK MARKER on the back of the coin box on the top. Hope that helps a little bit!
Posted 7/28/2016 4:01:04 PM by Matt Kemp On my Street Fighter II the serial number is also on the plastic over the launcher. It is almost invisible - you have to look from an angle and have the light just right
Posted 12/8/2016 1:07:29 PM by Kyle Trader Operation: Thunder - Stamped in black on the bottom inside of the cabinet, just inside the coin door. 5 digit. There is also another number stamped beside it looks like an "E-28" or "F-28" Anyone know what it is?

Posted 1/11/2007 11:49:28 PM by Bill Ung

The newer Gottlieb/Premier games have a sticker, located near the left flipper, on the wall of the bottom arch, facing the upper-end of the playfield. The serial numbers here have always been in-tact. I guess operators munge the ones they find on the fronts of the cabinets, but perhaps most of them don't know where Gottlieb/Premier hides them. Unfortunately, G/P, to the best of our knowledge, do not post anywhere on the game, the original manufacturing date.

Posted 4/5/2008 7:20:10 PM by Jess Askey
On games manufactured in the 80's the serial numbers seem to be stamped inside the cabinet next to the transformer on the cabinet. The serial numbers are generally 4-digits and are stamped in large black numbers.

Posted 8/19/2010 12:15:32 PM by PcN
My machine has the sticker located as described by Bill above and also has a stamp on the left inside the cabinet. It is a five digit number

Posted 2/24/2011 9:03:13 PM by Darren Bambach
Mine Doesnt seem to have Serial anywhere , Just Says Machine Number 472 or 742 printed under the playfield. What Do I do?

Posted 5/9/2011 1:17:14 PM by Gerald Fleuriet
system80A are a stamped on the right inside the cabinet, 4 or 5 digit number

Posted 12/12/2011 7:49:23 PM by Jeff
My 1995 Waterworld has a six digit serial number stamped on the inside of the cabinet underneath the coin box.

Posted 12/12/2012 9:38:31 AM by Skeeb Wilcox
My G/P Rock machine has the stamped serial as Jess mentioned right over near the transformer on the cabinet bottom (see my picture I attached to my SN submission). Mine ALSO has the same serial number written in BLACK MARKER on the back of the coin box on the top. Hope that helps a little bit!

Posted 7/28/2016 4:01:04 PM by Matt Kemp
On my Street Fighter II the serial number is also on the plastic over the launcher. It is almost invisible - you have to look from an angle and have the light just right

Posted 12/8/2016 1:07:29 PM by Kyle Trader
Operation: Thunder - Stamped in black on the bottom inside of the cabinet, just inside the coin door. 5 digit. There is also another number stamped beside it looks like an "E-28" or "F-28" Anyone know what it is?

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