Gold Star

The Gold Star, a 1954 electro-mechanical pinball machine from D. Gottlieb & Company, comes from the heart of Gottlieb's celebrated 1950s run. Designed by Wayne Neyens with artwork by Roy Parker - the team behind many of the era's finest games - it was produced in a confirmed run of 700 units beginning in August 1954.

Key gameplay features include two flippers, three pop bumpers, and seven gobble holes that reward players with up to 7 replays when the right combination is made. Gobble holes, which swallow the ball in exchange for a score or reward, were a signature ingredient of early-1950s pinball, and Gold Star builds its central risk-versus-reward tension around them: seven of them dotting the playfield constantly tempt the player to trade ball time for replays.

The Gold Star's pageantry theme is brought to life by Roy Parker's artwork, evoking a sense of grandeur, celebration, and spectacle. As a Neyens/Parker collaboration from Gottlieb's golden decade, it remains an appealing example of 1950s pinball artistry and design for collectors and enthusiasts.