Vemco Special

The Vemco Special, sold by The Vending Machine Company of Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1934, is a rare artifact from the early years of coin-operated pinball. Its mechanical design and gameplay are characteristic of pure mechanical (PM) pinball, which was common in the industry's early years before electromechanical features became standard. The Vending Machine Company was the nation's largest game distributor in the 1930s, and the generic name "Vemco Special" was reused by them across more than one game, suggesting they may have converted or rebranded other manufacturers' games from time to time.

The Vemco Special's gameplay is straightforward, with players able to insert either 1-cent or 5-cent coins for a play on a plain playfield using only pins and pockets, typical of games from the early 1930s. The machine's controls, art, and theme are not well-documented, leaving room for speculation about its intended design. However, the presence of a thin marquee at the top rear of the cabinet suggests a level of craftsmanship typical of early pinball machines.

Over 85 years old, the Vemco Special remains an interesting piece of pinball history, offering insight into how distributors packaged and resold pin games during the industry's formative years.