C.O.D.

The C.O.D. pinball machine, manufactured by Bally in November 1939, offers valuable insight into pinball gameplay during its formative years. This flipperless electro-mechanical game, Bally's Model 331, comes from the era before flippers existed, when players relied on plunger skill and nudging to guide the ball around the playfield.

The C.O.D. features 12 bumpers, giving its playfield plenty of scoring action. Unlike many games of its day, this one does not pay out. It does, however, include a clever piece of operator equipment: a counting mechanism visible on the lower left playfield near the coin view hole, which increments each time the coin chute pushes the reset bar to start a game. A key lock on the left side of the cabinet resets the counter, which is normally concealed from the player's view by a score card but remains accessible to the operator.

Despite its age, the C.O.D.'s significance extends beyond its historical context. Pinball enthusiasts will appreciate the opportunity to experience a piece of the game's pre-flipper evolution firsthand, witnessing how early designers experimented with mechanics that would inform later machines. As such, the C.O.D. is a worthwhile part of any serious pinball collection or exhibition.