A. Hankin & Co. is a short-lived but influential Australian pinball manufacturer founded in the late 1970s by David and Peter Hankin (building on their father Alec Hankin’s amusement business in Newcastle, NSW), best known for solid-state, locally themed machines that blended modern electronics with Australian cultural motifs and inventive playfield design. Hankin’s early catalog includes Orbit 1 and FJ Holden (both 1978) and notable 1980 releases such as Dennis Lillee’s Howzat! (a cricket-themed wide-body dedicated to the great fast bowler) and Shark, while The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is widely cited as one of the first officially licensed Star Wars-themed pinball machines, underscoring Hankin’s pioneering licensing efforts and niche innovation in the international pinball market. Although pinball production lasted only from roughly 1978 to 1980 as the arcade market shifted toward video games, Hankin pinball machines remain highly sought after by collectors for their robust build quality, distinctive Australian themes, rarity, and historical significance within the broader pinball and gaming collector communities.