CoinOpCollectorForum.com

I have owned this 1902 vender for around 28~ years now. It came out of an old Clare Michigan store, where it was purchased from the estate by a picker/antique dealer from Midland Michigan. I purchased it directly from him, along with various other machines only a day or so if that from the time he bought them. I have only ever seen a single other one in the wild, which was on Ebay many years ago. I don't even remember how many years ago now, or if it actually sold at that time. The only person that has ever seen this or known that I owned this (besides me and the picker), was Rick Frink, and even that was over 20+ years ago. I have lost touch with Rick as I am not a very active collector. I have considered selling this several times, but have continued to hold back so far as it's nice to own a coin-op device very few others have ever even seen as they are so few.

It is quarter-sawn oak construction, mechanism is brass or bronze, some steel, and it takes miniature match boxes to vend for 1 cents per box. It does not have a back door (I never got that) and needs cleaning and restoration, though it does work. The nickle-plate casting on the front features the Mills Owl on the top, and at the bottom, there is a carrier pigeon with a letter in it's beak, flying above a smiling-faced quarter moon.

With all that said, enjoy the pictures!

very nice machine.
so.... is this available, or just sharing the photo's?
if you are offering it, do you have a price in mind?

Well, in answer to that, I'd have to say I kind of hinted to my wife a few days ago that I would be willing to sell it, and she said (she was mad): "No way"!

Then again, money comes in handy at times and I'm not getting any younger. So, yes, it can be bought for the right price though that wasn't my direct intention of posting pics. What that price is I'm not sure. If it's sufficiently high enough and a deal can be done, I think my wife will eventually get over it. If she doesn't, I can use the peace and quiet for however long it lasts. Perhaps I'll put it on Ebay and see what happens. Though I'd rather it go to somebody that would keep it as a treasure or highlight of their collection.

I am curious if anybody has any clue of how many of these could possibly still exist. As I said above, I know of mine and that one other that was on Ebay. That vanished into a black hole. That's two for sure... Anybody ever seen another one first hand?

I happened to just notice this thread. Really cool machine. I swear I remember Bill Enes talking about one of these and the rarity, but that was so long ago I cannot remember what he was saying. Did you get any idea if anyone has another or value?

There's photos of one in "Silent Salesman" book. I also saw one for sale on Ebay years ago, but I don't know if that was the same one as in SS.

So with this one, that makes two for sure, and possibly three.