Golden Comet Ball

The Golden Comet Ball, manufactured by Field Manufacturing Corporation of Peoria, Illinois in January 1932, is an artifact from the very beginning of the coin-operated pin game boom. It is a pure mechanical counter game - a compact tabletop unit designed to sit on a store or tavern counter - and it was offered in two models: five balls for one cent, or ten balls for five cents.

As a pure mechanical game from 1932, the Golden Comet Ball has no flippers or electrical features; players shot their balls onto the playfield and let gravity and the pin layout decide the score, in the classic marble-game style of the day. The machine measures 24 inches long by 16 inches wide and weighs 24 pounds, with a solid walnut case that lends it a touch of elegance. Field also sold the same game with detachable wooden legs as the 1932 'Comet Ball Junior Table'.

One quirk of the game is its name: the manufacturer advertised it as 'Golden Comet', the name shown on the cabinet's front and sides, but it is often listed as 'Golden Comet Ball' after the wording on its playfield. However it is catalogued, this Depression-era counter game offers a genuine glimpse into the origins of the industry that pinball would soon become.