Beginning around 1970, some manufacturers include a number printed on the playfield behind the play tray door. This number can help you identify the year of manufacture. Unfortunately, the number is sometimes partially or fully obstructed or faded.
Below is a table listing the playfield number and/or description with the year of manufacture. Here are some pictures to show you where you can locate the number.
Here are some manufacturer specific notes:
- If Nishijin and the number starts with 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 or 53 then add 1925 to the number to get the year. For example: 53 + 1925 = the year 1978.
- If Sanyo and the number starts with 4S then the year is 1974, if 5S then the year is 1975 and if 6S then the year is 1976.
| Year | Make | Playfield Number | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | Daiichi | | white with four balls |
| 1975 | Daiichi | | white with color burst |
| 1970s | Daiichi | | white with pastel cubes |
| 1974 | Daiichi | | white with pastel flowers |
| 1970s | Daiichi | | white with pastel leaves |
| 1975 | Daiichi | | white with pastel shooting stars |
| 1973 | Daiichi | | white with pastel swirls |
| 1970s | Ginza | | cream and green with penguins |
| 1978 | Ginza | | cream and green with words “Beautiful ?” |
| 1978 | Ginza | | white with mouse in car |
| 1970s | Heiwa | 12 | white with pastel playing cards |
| 1977 | Heiwa | 13 | white and green with electron paths and colored boxes |
| 1970s | Heiwa | 15 | white with pastel streamers and hats |
| 1976 | Heiwa | 27 | white with pastel flowers and vines |
| 1976 | Heiwa | 35 | white with pastel snakes |
| 1980s | Kyoraku | 25 | yellow with red and orange bands |
| 1980s | Kyoraku | 27 | red, orange, yellow bands |
| 1970s | Kyoraku | | white with green, pink tulips |
| 1970s | Kyoraku | | white with multicolored fans |
| 1975 | Kyoraku | | white with multicolored pentagon shapes |
| 1976 | Kyoraku | | white with pastel shapes including people |
| 1960s | Marudai | | cream with concave diamond shapes |
| 1970s | Maruhon | | blue with large red, yellow rose with green pedals |
| 1970s | Maruhon | | blue with white path and words “Best Machine” |
| 1975 | Maruhon | | white with blue, green, orange, pink plus shapes |
| 1970s | Maruhon | | white with red, blue, yello, green basketball shapes |
| 1975 | Maruto | 591 | pastel flowers |
| 1973 | Maruto | | multiple colors, small shapes |
| 1978 | Mizuho | | big blue orange green flowers |
| 1978 | Mizuho | | colorful flowers |
| 1978 | Mizuho | | cream center, swirl boarder, green outside |
| 1977 | Mizuho | | four fish |
| 1979 | Mizuho | | green center with blue vines around it |
| 1970s | Mizuho | | green rings; red, yellow and blue triangle outlines |
| 1970s | Mizuho | | green with ring of stars |
| 1978 | Mizuho | | hawk |
| 1970s | Mizuho | | pink and blue dripping blobs |
| 1980 | Mizuho | | three layers: orange, green, orange |
| 1977 | New Gin | 5210 | |
| 1980 | New Gin | 563 | Red Bird |
| 1970s | New Gin | | Red Blue Green Shooting Balls |
| 1976 | New Gin | | Red Blue Yellow Green Triangles |
| 1980s | Nishijin – Modern | S-498 | |
| 1971 | Nishijin A | ?-B | flowers yellow green |
| 1973 | Nishijin A | 48A-W | weird green shape |
| 1973 | Nishijin A | 48A-Y | green blobs thin lines |
| 1974 | Nishijin A | 49A-51 | shooting stars |
| 1970s | Nishijin A | | five fat blue letters |
| 1975 | Nishijin A | 50-12 | large stubby lollie pops |
| 1970s | Nishijin A | | butterflies |
| 1973 | Nishijin A | | diagonal diamonds |
| 1970s | Nishijin A | | four upside down rainbows |
| 1971 | Nishijin A | | green stem large orange loopy flowers |
| 1970s | Nishijin A | L-E | cherries |
| 1971 | Nishijin A | L-G | lots of daisies mainly green |
| 1970s | Nishijin A | | large rainbow |
| 1971? | Nishijin A | | small two-leaf flowers |
| 1974 | Nishijin A | | yellow and blue balls |
| 1971 | Nishijin A | | yellow pink green flower |
| 1970 | Nishijin A Front Overflow | ?-B | large brush strokes different colors |
| 1970 | Nishijin A Front Overflow | A | pink green and blue roses |
| 1970 | Nishijin A Front Overflow | Japanese T | Green and Red circles |
| 1970 | Nishijin A Front Overflow | Japanese X | little frogs |
| 1970 | Nishijin A Front Overflow | Japanese-A | Orange Blue Green Half Filled in Circles |
| 1970 | Nishijin A Front Overflow | K-C | Orange Green LtBlue LtPink Circle Lines |
| 1976 | Nishijin A Kan-Less |
51-19 | |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | 12 | white with lolly pop shapes in primary colors |
| 1972 | Nishijin B | 47S-W | white with blue clouds |
| 1973 | Nishijin B | 48S-A | white with long green stem flowers |
| 1973 | Nishijin B | 48S-B | white with green “V” and Red Circle |
| 1973 | Nishijin B | 48S-C | white with pastel green and blue blobs |
| 1973 | Nishijin B | 48S-D | white with orange, green, yellow cubes |
| 1973 | Nishijin B | 48S-E | white with green, blue pastel “U” shapes |
| 1973 | Nishijin B | 48S-F | white with large “P”s with stars in them |
| 1974 | Nishijin B | 49S-01 | white with primary color blobs and butterfly |
| 1974 | Nishijin B | 49S-02 | white with pastel colors square round and line shapes |
| 1974 | Nishijin B | 49S-03 | white with green “U”s with a ball in each |
| 1974 | Nishijin B | 49S-05 | white with clown background |
| 1974 | Nishijin B | 49S-06 | white with green wreath |
| 1974 | Nishijin B | 49S-07 | white with pastel flowers |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | 50-11 | |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | 50-13 | white with pastel people |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | 50-16 | white with fish and star fish |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | 50-17 | |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | 50-18 | white with blue and yellow vertical shapes |
| 1976 | Nishijin B | 51-21 | white with pastel fish |
| 1977 | Nishijin B | 51-28 | |
| 1975 | Nishijin B | S-08 | white with tattered pastel flowers |
| 1976 | Nishijin B | | white with pastel swan and snail shapes |
| 1977 | Nishijin C | 52-33 | white with pastel cherries and pears |
| 1977 | Nishijin C | 52-36 | |
| 1978 | Nishijin C | 53-51 | |
| 1978 | Nishijin C | 53-52 | interchangeable – green with large orange butterfly shape |
| 1978 | Nishijin C | 53-58 | blue sky, yellow setting sun, orange band, green band |
| 1978 | Nishijin C | 53-59 | |
| 1979 | Nishijin C | 54-114 | |
| 1978 | Nishijin C | S-107 | white with pastel sea horse, fish and shell |
| 1979 | Nishijin C | S-118 | white with avocado band and birds |
| 1978 | Okumurayuki | 24 | |
| 1977 | Okumurayuki | 52-17 | |
| 1978 | Sankyo | M-49 | |
| 1978 | Sankyo | M-57 | |
| 1980s | Sankyo – Modern | M-156 | |
| 2000s | Sankyo – Modern | M-445 | |
| 1980 | Sanyo | 13 | |
| 1974 | Sanyo | 4S7 | |
| 1974 | Sanyo | 4S10 | |
| 1974 | Sanyo | 4S12 | |
| 1975 | Sanyo | 5S7 | |
| 1975 | Sanyo | 5S9 | |
| 1975 | Sanyo | 5S12 | |
| 1976 | Sanyo | 6S2 | |
| 1976 | Sanyo | 6S5 | |
| 1976 | Sanyo | 6S7 | |
| 1976 | Sanyo | 6S8 | |
| 1976 | Sanyo | 6S9 | |
| 1976 | Sanyo | 6S10 | |
| 1974 | Sanyo Bussan | 38 | |
| 1973 | Sanyo Bussan | 43 | |
| 1973 | Sanyo Bussan | T7 | |
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