Episode 4 – Spotlight Series – Drop-A-Card and Pop-A-Card
EM Pinball Journeys
23 min
Summary
Deep dive into Gottlieb's Drop-A-Card and Pop-A-Card EMs with restoration documentation and historical analysis.
David Rick Morgan's inaugural Spotlight Series episode examines Drop-A-Card (1971) and Pop-A-Card (1972), two Gottlieb EM machines with nearly identical designs but fundamentally different scoring mechanics: Drop-A-Card is a replay game while Pop-A-Card is an add-a-ball game. Morgan details his personal restoration journey of a Pop-A-Card acquired in 2022, documenting extensive mechanical and cosmetic work, and provides historical context including a third variant (The Card The King) made for the Italian market. The episode emphasizes the playfield differences, tournament locations, and the regulatory history that drove add-a-ball game creation.
This is the first episode in my pinball spotlight series, I talk about Drop-A-Card (1971) and Pop-A-Card (1972). I cover some of the main differences between these games and a bit about replay vs add-a-ball pinball machines. Pop-A-Card was my first pinball machine and I talk about getting it and some of the tasks that it took to get it going after years of disrepair. Internet Pinball Database – Drop-A-Card Internet Pinball Database – Pop-A-Card Image from IPDB.org credit Jean-Pierre…
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