King Pin

The King Pin, manufactured by Pace Manufacturing Company Incorporated in February 1932, is an early pure mechanical (PM) table-top/counter pinball game. Pace Manufacturing operated only briefly, from 1932 to 1933, placing King Pin among the company's earliest and only known products.

The game's pricing structure was notable for its flexibility: players could get 10 balls for one cent, or pay five cents for an extended play option, an early example of manufacturers experimenting with coin-operated pricing to attract players. As a pure mechanical machine, it has no electrical components, relying entirely on gravity and mechanical action for play.

Two different playfield versions of King Pin are known to exist -- one with plain pins and pockets, and another with molded pockets and striped artwork -- though it's unclear whether these correspond to different cabinet sizes. Its early date and design variations make King Pin an interesting subject for collectors studying the earliest years of coin-operated pinball.