We have a wide range of books, covering topics from pinball history, artwork and maintenance, to slot machines, jukeboxes, trade stimulators and more. Books related to the hobby make a great gift for that special collector or anyone interested in exploring the fascinating history of the arcade machines that have thrilled us all.

For Amusement Only has the largest selection of pinball related books in stock and we have the current pinball price guides too.

Browse through the titles listed here on the web and see what interests you. Can't find the coin-op book you're looking for? Let us know and perhaps we can help.

Pinball games have long been regarded as the twentieth century's ultimate coin operated amusement, touching the lives of generations of players in numerous cultures. This visual chronicle, with examples from the game's beginnings to the present day, focuses in particular on the years from 1958 to 1998. It showcases fifty fascinating pinball games, each with its own chapter outlining the special features. Covered in detail are cultural influences, design and artistic trends, historical connections, collectibility, values, and unique game rules. Over 800 full color photographs display whole machine shots, close-ups of backglasses and playfields, and ball's-eye-view images. They put the pinball enthusiast right into the action! This beautiful book is an essential reference for the libraries of pinball collectors and aficionados everywhere.
$60.00
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Pinball Memories
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Mr. Pinball Price Guide
2010 Edition

 Newly updated for 2010, this pinball list and price guide is the most comprehensive and accurate list of pinball machines available. Sections provide information about each type of machine (flipper, baseball, bingo), usually including name, manufacturer, date release, number of players, distinguishing features, production numbers and average current value. Pinball listings are sorted both alphabetically and by manufacturer.

No collector, novice nor expert, can afford to be without the latest edition from Mr. Pinball. This publication contains important information about all pinball machines made since the flipper was invented in 1947. This is the most popular list among serious pinball machine collectors and, with over 2,700 machines listed, this is the most comprehensive and accurate list available!

New to this edition with the color covers of Williams Apollo are the following, updated price trend analysis, indicating significant changes in value for specific machines, updated pricing/value info, analysis and graphs in Appendix D -- Determining Price, 48 additional games, 3 new manufacturers, more production numbers, corrections as needed to previous editions, update to website links and other important information in Appendix C -- All About Pinball Collecting including a new section on Locating Pinballs to Play, new features in the Baseball section relating to cabinet, electronic scoring and sounds, number of balls limits game, bat linkage and replay versions.

An indispensable reference for anyone that owns a game or is interested in pinball trends. $23.00

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Mr. Pinball Price Guide
2006 Edition

 Newly updated for 2006, this pinball list and price guide is the most comprehensive and accurate list of pinball machines available. Sections provide information about each type of machine (flipper, baseball, bingo), usually including name, manufacturer, date release, number of players, distinguishing features, production numbers and average current value. Pinball listings are sorted both alphabetically and by manufacturer.

No collector, novice nor expert, can afford to be without the latest edition from Mr. Pinball. This publication contains important information about all pinball machines made since the flipper was invented in 1947. This is the most popular list among serious pinball machine collectors and, with over 2,500 machines listed, this is the most comprehensive and accurate list available!

New to this edition is the color cover, updated pricing/value information including a new graph analysis, average machine value per year. 48 additional games, 5 new manufacturers, more production numbers, more artists and designers, corrections to miscellaneous machines' features, dates, etc. New features to games listed-- "w"-wasted effort, "R"-Random Pitch Selection, "b" Small Ball Bowler, and "Q"-Manikin Bowler. Update to website links and other important information in Appendix C--All About Pinball Collecting.

An indispensable reference for anyone that owns a game or is interested in pinball trends. REDUCED! $10.00

From its inception in the 1930s, pinball has challenged and inspired millions of enthusiastic players and become the passion of countless collectors around the world. Illustrated with over 600 color photos, this exciting book chronicles the development of pinball machines from the 1930s through the late 1960s, featuring exclusive rare interviews with some of the greatest designers in the industry. Hundreds of pinball machines from Gottlieb, Bally, Genco, Williams, United, and other manufacturers are showcased -- including many never before published. The extensive text provides descriptions of the games, their special features, historical significance, release dates, and names of designers and artists. Pinball enthusiasts will also love the many stories featuring the thrill of the "Silver Ball." This is a wonderful reference tool and a tribute to all those who were part of the pinball machine's fascinating history.
$50.00
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The Pinball Compendium
1930s-1960s
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The Pinball Compendium
1970-1981

The second of three volumes in the Compendium series by Michael Shalhoub. Exciting and challenging, pinball games have been enthusiastically played since their inception in the 1930s and are treasured by countless collectors worldwide. This lavishly illustrated book chronicles pinball games from 1970 through 1981, one of the industry's most prolific eras. Hundreds of machines from Gottlieb, Williams, Bally, Chicago Coin, and other manufacturers are showcased - including many never before published. The extensive text provides descriptions of the games, their special features, historical significance, release dates, and designers. Collectors will love the exclusive interviews with some of pinball's greatest designers and artists. Current values are listed for each machine shown in the book. This is a wonderful reference book, and a tribute to all who were a part of pinball's fascinating history. $60.00
The third and final volume in the Compendium series by Michael Shaloub. Eagerly anticipated by enthusiasts who prefer the games made since the early 1980s, this volume includes over 900 color photos and covers the most recent period in pinball history, from 1982 through 2005. Each chapter is devoted to a specific year and features descriptions, release dates, and historical background on the games released that year from manufacturers Gottlieb, Williams, Bally, Data East, Stern, Sega and others. Current values are listed for each machine shown in the book. Interspersed with the games are stories and interviews with many of the legendary designers and artists who created them. Readers will gain fascinating insight into the planning that went into the games, how the designers and artists got their start in the industry, behind-the-scenes tales of life in the pinball world, and more.
$60.00
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The Pinball Compendium
1982 to Present
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The Complete Pinball Book Edition 2

 This fantastic book tells the detailed history of pinball games from the 1930s to the 1990s, including the evolution of all sorts of game features--from flippers and bumpers to sound, scoring, and tilt mechanisms--all immersed in the complex and magnificent artwork characteristic of pinball machines.

Pinball manufacturing giants like Gottlieb, Williams, and Bally are well represented, in addition to several lesser-known and foreign manufacturers. With a listing of over 3,000 games built to date, statistics, pricing information, and over 900 color photographs (including close-ups, flyers, images of rare prototypes, and games never before seen in print), this is essential for the libraries of all pinball lovers.

The pinball machine is here to stay--due in part to the exponential increase in the number of serious collectors and enthusiasts. What other modern amusement machine can boast a longevity of over 60 years, withstanding the test of time and ever-changing technology, while maintaining its instantly recognizable form? The rolling, bouncing silver ball, as unpredictable as the flip of a coin or even life itself, has kept up with cutting-edge advancements in electronics, mechanics, and even computers, to amuse and test the skill of players worldwide! This is the revised and expanded second edition with an updated price guide. $60.00

If you enjoy this title, please see "Pinball Snapshots", also by the same author, Marco Rossignoli.

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Bally Bingo Pinball Machines

 The pinball book you have been waiting for is finally here! From those fabulous '50s & '60s, Jeffrey Lawton, Bingo Pinball Historian, presents 290+ photos, including original promotional brochures and advertisements, that showcase a fantastic collection of Bally® Bingo pinball machines, along with a history of the evolution and excitement that surrounds this compelling hobby. All who grew up with street cars, slot machines, pinball machines, pool halls, and diners will enjoy this book tremendously! $40.00
The BIG YELLOW Parts Book!

This is the Bally/Midway Pinball/Video Parts Catalog, part number 16-9147-B. Long out of print this book has over 400 pages of detailed information on Bally, Williams, and Midway games from 1988 through 1992. It was the result of the combined efforts of the Williams parts and service departments, and is the same, sturdy reference guide as used by the game distributors. Over 400 color-coded pages when fully assembled (over 10 pounds!) this book provides part numbers, part descriptions, parts drawings, quantities used, exploded assembly views, and much more!

Sections include:

  1. Electronics & Illumination
  2. Pinball Cabinets & Backboxes
  3. Ball Guides & Ramps
  4. Wire Forms, Ball Gates & Spin Targets
  5. Electro-mechanical Devices
  6. Switches & Switch Parts
  7. Cash Boxes & Coin Doors
  8. Video Games & Game Kits
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Parts catalog
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Parts Catalog Open

 The BIG YELLOW Parts Book continued!

Here's a picture of the book fully assembled, you will receive it with the contents still shrink-wrapped.

Games covered include: Truck Stop, Game Show, Atlantis, Transporter, Mousin' Around, Elvira and the Party Monsters, Pool Sharks, Radical!, Dr. Dude, Harley Davidson, Gilligan's Island, Party Zone, Doctor Who, Bugs Bunny's Birthday Bash, Black Rose, and The Addams Family.

Information on the following video games (kit and upright) is also included: Arch Rivals, Tri-Sports, Pigskin, Trog, Total Carnage, Strike Force, Super Hi-Impact, and Terminator 2 upright.

$50.00

The perfect vintage collectible is one with a beginning and an end, and yet still numerous enough to enable enthusiasts to build collections. Here's a comprehensive guide to just such a collectible. Coin operated trade stimulators and counter games got their start in the saloons of the 1880s. Things changed with the coming of the Prohibition and the disappearance of saloons in 1920. Checkout counters in stores, restaurants, and cigar shops became the primary locations, where these counter games helped stimulate trade. The Great Depression, followed by the Repeal of Prohibition in 1933 propelled the industry to new heights and prominent makers such as Groetchen Tool, Buckley, Bally, Pierce Tool, and many others were kept busy until the 1960s.

You'll get to know all the makers and their machines by name, date, and appearance in this colorful collector's guide. Over 800 photos, detailed machine descriptions, manufacturer production data, and an interchangable machine name list will make you an instant expert, ready for shows, auctions, and collector trading. The accompanying price guide will insure that you buy or sell smart and well. Plus, you'll enjoy every page for its interesting history and content in the most complete book on this subject to ever see print. $35.00

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Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter Games
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Pinball Snapshots

Timeless in their appeal, pinball games have entertained and tested the skills of players worldwide for many generations. Pinballs combine the unpredictability of a rolling, bouncing silver ball with some of the most amazing commercial artwork and the most up-to-date technological advancements. Here is a book that celebrates what is known to many enthusiasts as "the lure of the silverball." Fifty diverse pinballs, both vintage and contemporary, are showcased. Each has its own chapter outlining the game's special features, historical background, game trivia, game rules, graphic images, collectibility, and current value. Over 500 amazing full color photographs give the reader a complete visual of each game. Whole machine shots, close-ups of backglasses and playfields, and ball's-eye-view images all put enthusiasts right into the action. This outstanding book will be thoroughly enjoyed by pinball collectors, historians, graphic artists, and devotees of coin operated amusement games. $60.00

If you enjoy this title please see "The Complete Pinball Book", also by Marco Rossignoli.

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Pinball Machines

 Pinball machines -- the big, flashy machines that have entertained and delighted us in taverns, arcades, and at home for half a century. Nearly everyone has a special memory of their favorite machine and a story to tell of the greatest game they ever played. This book is for them.

Renowned for the conspicuous design of their playing surfaces and scoreboards, these "games of skill" have captivated collectors with their eye-catching art. Pop Art, Cubism, Comic art, and Photo Realism are among the styles found on the glass canvas of the machine and in these pages.

This is a collector's book, a pinball gallery of the Pop Art. It's also a chronology, from the simple early mechanical pinball machines up to their modern, fully electronic equivalents. Included is an alphabetical overview of all the variety, the artistry, and the manufacturing ingenuity that have gone into pinball machines over the years. We now offer the revised third edition including a price guide. $35.00

This spiral-bound book provides basic information on Bally EM games. Sections cover information on basic circuits and symbols, wire color codes, information on score motor units, relays, step up units, scoring units, bumpers and flippers. Also includes a section on trouble-shooting hints. $20.00
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Introduction to Bally Flipper Games
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Arcade Treasures

 Today, a sense of nostalgia and the irresistible urge to play have combined to make arcade memorabilia and antique arcade games one of the hottest collectible fields of our time. This book is filled with 447 color photos of the greatest games ever to hit the arcade scene-the earliest arcades' strength testers and fortune tellers, perennial favorites like baseball games and SKEE-BALL, wild pinball games from the middle of the century, and modern electronic video game like PAC MAN and Q*BERT.

While American manufacturers have maintained a solid grip on the market, some interesting offerings are included from foreign manufacturers. Also included are a section on novelty products, a detailed discussion of the development of different game trends, a history of significant manufacturers and designers, and a thorough price guide. Kurtz shares tips on how to begin moving in the arcade trading circuit, how to locate your favorite games, and how to maintain and repair your collection. Beginning collectors and long-time fans alike will find Kurtz's information helpful. With its foreword by Sha-Na-Na's Screamin' Scott Simon this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the games of yesteryear-and of today! $40.00

Coin operated machines were first introduced into America in the late 1880's. These machines were operated in saloons, Mom and Pop stores, drugstores, general stores and soda fountains, often illuminated by kerosene lamps and gas lights. The picture rich book depicts some very rare machines and offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of everything from one reelers and horse race games to roulette and skill games. Organized into fifteen sections, this book covers manufacturing, age, comments and rarity information on hundreds of machines. $40.00
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For Amusement Only

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Collector's Guide to Vintage Coin Machines

 Coin Machines is a thorough look at slot machines, jukeboxes, arcade, counter and pinball games, trade stimulators, vending machines, and coin operated scales, all described in detail and abundantly photographed in color. These coin operated machines -- invented in England, adopted in America in the 1880s, and most prolifically produced in Chicago, Illinois -- have been a part of everyday life for over one hundred years. "Automatic machines", as they were first called, are imaginative, entertaining, useful, colorful, and reflect changing technology as well.

The text presents methods for identifying different types of machines, their history and development, and helpful hints on where to look for the machine of your dreams $40.00

Jukeboxes

Jukeboxes

 Jukeboxes and their records, symbols of the lively days of petticoats and rock'n roll, are making a comeback. Collectors world-wide are searching them out wherever they can find them. The American chrome giants made by Seeburg, Wurlitzer, Rock-Ola, and AMI enjoy the greatest popularity in museums and collections, for they were the witnesses of the "Golden Fifties".

In Jukeboxes, these musical machines come to life again. Here is the history of the development, the technology, and the stars. Here also is information on the manufacturers, a photo chronicle of their evolution, and advice on collecting, maintaining and restoring jukeboxes from the `50s and `60s. An illustrated index of model numbers by manufacturer will be especially helpful to the collector. $35.00

Flip count