It is thought that the very first instance of a vending machine was invented by the Hero of Alexandria who was a Greek mathematician who has been described as “the greatest experimenter of antiquity.” It was a crude device, one deposited a coin into the top of the machine and it fell onto a pan, which shifted a lever and opened a valve dispensing a fixed amount of holy water before the valve closed again. This was thought to have occurred between 40 and 50 AD. How is that for a vintage vending machine?
It wasn’t until much later that the vending machine became popular. In the 1880's vintage vending machines could be found dispensing post cards in London. The first vending machine in the United States was constructed around 1888 by Thomas Adams Gum Company so it was an incarnation of the now common gumball machine.
Because the profitability of vending machines can be quite high (due to them being unattended) they become very popular and many different kinds of vending machines have been manufactured over the years. This provides a collector with a wealth of different kinds of vintage vending machines to collect and gives vending machines an interesting history. Many innovations, some successful, some unsuccessful, and some just plain bizarre, have occurred. These days you can find an amazing array of machines, from condom vending machines to machines that can make french fries, to machines that will dispense fishing bait. Welcome to the exciting field of vintage vending machines!
