1956 Premiere Baseball Card Vending Machine

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/19/2020

Travel back in time to 1956 when Ike was in the White House and this now-fully-restored baseball card vending machine was on the counter of your local five-and-dime. Back then a penny would get you a single (usually Topps) baseball card and a bubblegum ball; this vintage two-tray vending machine dispatches a single baseball card with the insertion of a dime into the slot, followed by a spin of the knob. Standing 13 inches tall and 12 ½ inches wide (and 5 ½ inches deep), this spectacular Premiere Gum and Card Vendor from Oak Manufacturing in California, looks precisely as it must have looked 64 years ago, with the 1-Cent decal on the front glass intact even though the machine itself will insist upon a dime. And it works just fine, dispensing a pristine Topps Heritage card and, in this instance, a marble, from a consignor who didn't want to encourage cavities with gum balls. As noted, the all-original piece has been professionally restored, including a striking fire-engine red paint job; working keys for the top (to refill the left-and-right racks with cards) and the back (to remove coins) are included. The four vintage Topps cards shown in the photo in the front display are also included. At almost 25 lbs. fully loaded with cards and marbles, it’s a heavyweight that is as sturdy and reliable as the times from whence it came; obviously, that amounts to a similarly hefty shipping cost. Winning bidder can save a couple of bucks if he/she wants to pass on the roughly 500 Topps Heritage cards (many different years, including stars and even short prints) or – more potently – the estimated 700-plus marbles (7 ½ lbs.) to reduce the overall shipping weight a bit. All elements of the original Premiere Gum and Card Vendor are present as shown, including the individual weights for both of the stacks to provide the pressure to keep the cards feeding from the slots. This is an absolute marvel that provides an elegant portrayal of the Golden Age of Baseball Cards. Winning bidder: let us know with your payment whether you want the Heritage cards and/or marbles included.