Greetings to all,
In an effort to document as much as possible in the hobby, I started a while back to note and record every serial number of pinball machines that have come up to my place. I STRONGLY encourage others to do as well! It is a quick thing to do and can be done here:
http://www.ipsnd.net/
The database is a great reference as to how many machines are out there. Sure, sites like Pinball Owners are great, but none really have any system in order to document serial numbers. They are mostly "collector-inventory" oriented. IPSND is more about a global surviving inventory. It is a snapshop of what machines are still out there! And it is kinda cool to see that where they are all located!
So please take a pic of your serial number and register it! Don't feel like doing it? Then send me a pic of your serial number and a brief description of the machine's condition (working, a parts machine or just an empty cab) and I will do it!
Let's see how many are out there!
The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
- Sparky
- MAACA OG
- Posts: 23271
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 5:33 pm
- Location: Saint-Lazare, west of MTL
- Has liked: 2 times
- Been liked: 52 times
The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
Patron saint of lost pinball causes.
Stage 5B. All except for NIB crap.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4742&p=40349&hilit=stages#p40349
Stage 5B. All except for NIB crap.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4742&p=40349&hilit=stages#p40349
- Drano
- MAACA Millennial
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:58 pm
- Location: Toronto
- Been liked: 1 time
Re: The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
Interesting site.
I recently went on there to see how many Cactus Canyon were registered and how I could determine if my build # was also matched to the serial #.
I had a faint hope of, one day, finding my missing #192 commemorative plaque.
It's probably sitting in some European landfill
I recently went on there to see how many Cactus Canyon were registered and how I could determine if my build # was also matched to the serial #.
I had a faint hope of, one day, finding my missing #192 commemorative plaque.
It's probably sitting in some European landfill

- Chris Silver
- MAACA Wacko
- Posts: 3112
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:41 pm
- Location: Hawkesbury, Nowhere Ontario
- Has liked: 7 times
- Been liked: 3 times
Re: The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
What all places on a pin can the serial numbers be found?
Pins: Spirit, Centaur II, Af-Tor, Embryon, Black Hole, Elektra, Timeline, Silverball Mania, Panthera, Baby Pac Man, Blackout, Alien Poker
Gone: Space Station, Top Score, Flash Gordon, Solar Fire, Haunted House, Fire (x2), Vector, Bally Playboy, Tropic Isle, Beat the Clock, Blue-Chip, Disco, Punk!, Lightning, Time Fantasy, 8 Ball Deluxe LE, Double Dragon, Stellar Wars
WTB: Black Knight, Fathom, Split Second, Nine Ball
Its better to have played and lost than never to have played at all.
Gone: Space Station, Top Score, Flash Gordon, Solar Fire, Haunted House, Fire (x2), Vector, Bally Playboy, Tropic Isle, Beat the Clock, Blue-Chip, Disco, Punk!, Lightning, Time Fantasy, 8 Ball Deluxe LE, Double Dragon, Stellar Wars
WTB: Black Knight, Fathom, Split Second, Nine Ball
Its better to have played and lost than never to have played at all.
- Drano
- MAACA Millennial
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:58 pm
- Location: Toronto
- Been liked: 1 time
Re: The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
For modern pins... back of cabinet, inside cabinet wall. On WMS there were little stickers everywhere. Under the coin coor, on every single board, etc...Chris Silver wrote:What all places on a pin can the serial numbers be found?
Gottlieb wedgheads had them stamped into the front of the cabinet and also sometimes on a sticker on the top arch.
Not too sure about other manufacturers.
- Chris Silver
- MAACA Wacko
- Posts: 3112
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:41 pm
- Location: Hawkesbury, Nowhere Ontario
- Has liked: 7 times
- Been liked: 3 times
Re: The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
The best number I can find on my Solar fire is 540936. This number is ink stamped on the bottom of my playfield and on stickers most of my boards.
It had a production run according to the IPDB of a maximum 782 units. I can't see a pattern.
It had a production run according to the IPDB of a maximum 782 units. I can't see a pattern.
Pins: Spirit, Centaur II, Af-Tor, Embryon, Black Hole, Elektra, Timeline, Silverball Mania, Panthera, Baby Pac Man, Blackout, Alien Poker
Gone: Space Station, Top Score, Flash Gordon, Solar Fire, Haunted House, Fire (x2), Vector, Bally Playboy, Tropic Isle, Beat the Clock, Blue-Chip, Disco, Punk!, Lightning, Time Fantasy, 8 Ball Deluxe LE, Double Dragon, Stellar Wars
WTB: Black Knight, Fathom, Split Second, Nine Ball
Its better to have played and lost than never to have played at all.
Gone: Space Station, Top Score, Flash Gordon, Solar Fire, Haunted House, Fire (x2), Vector, Bally Playboy, Tropic Isle, Beat the Clock, Blue-Chip, Disco, Punk!, Lightning, Time Fantasy, 8 Ball Deluxe LE, Double Dragon, Stellar Wars
WTB: Black Knight, Fathom, Split Second, Nine Ball
Its better to have played and lost than never to have played at all.
- Sparky
- MAACA OG
- Posts: 23271
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 5:33 pm
- Location: Saint-Lazare, west of MTL
- Has liked: 2 times
- Been liked: 52 times
Re: The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
Williams always had 6-digit serial numbers.Chris Silver wrote:The best number I can find on my Solar fire is 540936. This number is ink stamped on the bottom of my playfield and on stickers most of my boards.
It had a production run according to the IPDB of a maximum 782 units. I can't see a pattern.
Patron saint of lost pinball causes.
Stage 5B. All except for NIB crap.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4742&p=40349&hilit=stages#p40349
Stage 5B. All except for NIB crap.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4742&p=40349&hilit=stages#p40349
- Drano
- MAACA Millennial
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:58 pm
- Location: Toronto
- Been liked: 1 time
Re: The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database!
Chris Silver wrote:The best number I can find on my Solar fire is 540936. This number is ink stamped on the bottom of my playfield and on stickers most of my boards.
It had a production run according to the IPDB of a maximum 782 units. I can't see a pattern.
The serial numbers don't always match up with production numbers.
For example, They wouldn't necessarily start at 540001 and there wasn't consistency from one game to another. I'm sure there were reasons for this, but I don't know what they were.