vending boxes

ldferg

when did topps start putting cards in vending boxes, rack packs and cellos?

mikeschmidt

I think they've been doing vending for almost forever. I have seen vending boxes as early as 1960 - but vending machines for Exhibit cards, etc. exist from back in the 1950s - so I imagine that Topps was in on those by the early to mid 1950s.

Cellos were also around by 1954.

Stone193

Id
I remember discussing this a while back but not sure how far it went. The exhibit cards which were produced starting in the 1920's were available in vending machines. I personally have a late 40's to early 50's machine. From a past reading, I want to say that Mr. Mint purchased 52T cards from a man who stocked vending machines - and 1950's vending machines comes up for auction regularly. The earliest rack packs I have seen for sale were the Christmas packs that Mark Murphy had for sale and eventually made their way to auctions which have1959 cards in them. The earliest cello I have ever seen myself is from 1957. Of interest, the 1952 packs were put in 8 pack cellos in later years in an attempt to 'dump' the product on the candy stores. This was prbably the origin of the 'tray pack' where 3 or 6 packs are placed in a cardboard tray and then cellophane wrapped. Of interest, the first vending machines were made in England in the late 1880's and dispensed a postcard. Mark Murphy relates that he had seen a 1954 cello pack which ad a Hank Aaron RC showing on the top! He states that traditional rack packs started in 1968 but the rack pack with three cello packs enclosed go back to 1960.
Mike

edit: add info

dude

VSI once found 1957 Topps Vending Boxes

ChicagoGlen

How did vending machines distribute the cards? Does all vending come in 500 count boxes? Just curious what vending was intended for and how does it work. As a kid in the earlie 80's I have never seen vending machines with cards, but I see vending all the time on ebay?

I hope this is not a dumb question.

Thanks,

Glen

mikeschmidt

Best bet is if you look through some older Mastro catalogs - they often have vintage vending machines for sale.

ChicagoGlen

So did these distribute cards one at a time?

ctsoxfan

<< <i>VSI once found 1957 Topps Vending Boxes >>



And, I'm sure he paid her fair market value for those boxes, too!

Stone193

<< <i>How did vending machines distribute the cards? Does all vending come in 500 count boxes? >>


Glen
These are good questions and I don't think I have seen 'singles' card machines since the early 90's.
To my knowledge, the vending boxes by all the companies putting them out are 500 count. The exception is the 'cut card' vending case which has the cards loose in the case of 8500 if I remember properly. As most know, a vending case by Topps usually has 12,000 cards (24 - 500 ct. boxes). Obviously these boxes facilitated the loading of the machines which were nothing more than slots in the machine. Here are some examples of machines - one of them has no 'facing advertisement' which was obviously taken for collecting purposes IMO.
The first one is an exhibit card vending machine.




Hope this helps a bit.
Mike

edit: How many cards does it dispense? Depends on the machine - the one I have gives one card at a time - I remember my son putting a quarter in a slot at the Px and getting about 5 cards.

MorrellMan

I remember the penny vending machines in the late 50's and early 60's. One stood in the barbershop I used to go to, but I just can't recall how many cards came out. I do, though, remember that they were always of an earlier series than what I was buying in packs at the time, so I wasn't terribly interested. I could spend my pennies on something better, like 5 packs of little wax bottles with sweet fruity liquid in 'em, bite off the top and pour out the liquid (approximately one swallow) and then spend the rest of the afternoon watching the wax bottles melt on the curb. Whoo hoo - talk about fun!

WinPitcher

Early vending was for use in vending machines, later vending was mostly a product that Topps kept up with and sold to dealers who would use them for hand coallated sets. If I remm correctly a penny would deliver 1 card from the vending machine. the vending machines could also distribute the penny and 5 cent wax packs too.

Stone193

<< <i>I could spend my pennies on something better, like 5 packs of little wax bottles with sweet fruity liquid in 'em, bite off the top and pour out the liquid (approximately one swallow) and then spend the rest of the afternoon watching the wax bottles melt on the curb. Whoo hoo - talk about fun! >>


Morrellman
Going down memory lane? - Darn you're old! Just kidding - so am I!



If you don't remember these - it's probably best - this is from a generation a long, long, long...you get the picture.
Stone

pandrews

<< <i>

If you don't remember these - it's probably best - this is from a generation a long, long, long...you get the picture.
Stone
>>



Hey, I remember those! and I'm a generation behind you I think!

BTW Mike, I imagine you have an awesome collection of memorabilia! I love those vending machines.. I remember several places (even bars/restaurants) around town having those in the early 90's.. One bar I used to go to had a "Pinball-type" Home Run game that distributed cards according to how many runs you scored.. of course, I knew the guy who owned the place, and he was fairly knowledgeable about cards, so the machine never distributed anything worth your .25 cents..

DirtyHarry

I remember biting off the top of those wax things for one slurp! Oh, Shi###. Then you chewed them and spit 'em out to get you're money's worth.

Stone193

<< <i>Then you chewed them and spit 'em out to get you're money's worth. >>


Harry
What the heck is it with kids? Were we that dumb? I think I always regretted buying the stuff vs. a big snickers, yet every once in a while I would buy the crap again! Thanx for the memory on that one.
I think?
Stone



<< <i>Hey, I remember those! and I'm a generation behind you I think! >>


p_A
Oh? For sure!

DirtyHarry

Stone- chewing those wax containers was just like candy. Snickers???? Wax plus flavor = candy. Short term, but good .

pandrews

Those wax "lips" that seemed to hit store shelves around Halloween each year were another great chew.. they just lacked the "juice" inside, which was a big plus for the "nik-l-nip"..

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i> I remember my son putting a quarter in a slot at the Px and getting about 5 cards. >>

here is one like that
recently sold on ebay

coin operated Baseball card VENDING MACHINE

BigKidAtHeart

Here is a COOL one from the 50s

MorrellMan

Awesome pics of vending machines, guys

Mike - that scan of Nik-L-Nip brings it all back. You know what the scary thing is? I don't think the bottle packs I got even had a name!!!! This must have been before the invention of the offset press....and I do remember chewing the wax - yuckkk!

BigKid - I know what would happen to me: I'd put my penny in to get a Goofy, Target Moon or Wings card and end up with the duck walking thru the mud.

Thnx for the mammeries.

ChicagoGlen

Stone193,

Thanks for the pic's and the lesson. Never had machines like that in my neighborhood.

All the posts have been very informative.

Thanks,

Glen

packman

Here is a link to a vending machine from the 1950s that recently sold on Mastro.

1956 Vending Machine

Stone193

Packman, BKAH

Great pics! They all help to bring back the moment and for the younger crowd, a good shot at the past when you could walk the streets and not wind up on a milk carton!


<< <i>BigKid - I know what would happen to me: I'd put my penny in to get a Goofy, Target Moon or Wings card and end up with the duck walking thru the mud. >>


Mark



That would be my luck too!
Mike