Those memories came flooding back to me this morning. On my usual garage sale route, I found that the house I had bought the electronic games from was having another sale. I figured I'd stop in and see if there was anything I had missed or if the prices had been slashed.
Stepping inside, I immediately saw this to my right:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqOD0oeK_CfsH7ECFEBvhYSfbKxIsv79JM124QrRlly-hSmeaQm5nWfketNT6amQJy183GI1WNB-pxRfp5ldEvfyhltQM6JqCmc1Bqdh2qiU26RSyA_9Nl6pRzAq18VJCcZ1TJh9uoz9W/s640/toyjoy1.jpg)
and this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8Dj-pEzLKnJmBwg3y2WXBYXXjiNOOmyG5XIgeRnFVfmhy-s4ox9c8TyS5mwd01juZDShG342iV03WRrC6O_wHpBV7-OqqE3dt2W_I1usrNqF_e79CGNmUhoZufDaQWRjG7pLINqhCA9s/s640/toyjoy4.jpg)
and this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtPwETWw63crme47BZV2VaDzunG2Pmu7-9NJ8A65uDaiOlxMeEbaV_-vu_0sYx2RWzcvSTot2dXNp3rkevqOXxq1hYNsAwGOEhveR7VgQS1a6EyJOa52q3FTn8XW9TJzwjM9QXsEoTbpt/s640/unknown_vending1.jpg)
At home, I was surprised how well they cleaned up; they had been extremely dusty. I noticed one of the machines still had some prizes inside, so after positioning them into the drop slots, I put in a dime and claimed my prize -- 2 $1000 bills! Alas, instead of Grover Cleveland, they sported a deer head. A clear tip-off they weren't legal tender. The vending machine in the first picture is in very good shape and I would imagine it was in the middle of the bank. The second one is a little rougher and has some paint wear. I couldn't find any manufacturer's marks on the last one. It also appears to have been repainted.
Only the red and blue unmarked vending machine had a key, so I opened it up. Inside was a 1965 penny which is probably about right for the era. I thought it was a mistake that there was a penny inside, but after trying, I found it was indeed a penny vending machine. From the inner workings, it appears to have vended loose peanuts or candy -- the kind you'd get a handful of.
The seller had told me the other two didn't have keys, but he thought the locks could be opened with a screw driver. I tried one and sure enough, the lock turned and I was able to remove the front plate. I was happy to find a bunch of vending prizes in a bag inside the machine:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfNV9gxmKuUUhn46cSvihgIcATSjHjSvzVnyJX1UKmvFbGgzybnto_wVkkptazV9vHN67ZxSTk0nVnStJlpdmRKJNlbIT_raFR-nMNZB4HSG9poo0iYHUvcBD42bhingRs7IBNB3UiUg3/s1600/toyjoy6.jpg)
I also noticed on the inside of the coin mechanism:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcZ5jZDqHP4mbBYamW_CkQz3S0Q1oinuNOB-jmZX48TaesAXPByVR_b8K4H0I-znKjkujflcTDgnxAcWcQvyg_7nhbhDfZ0FESHbcnMggjBdw-LqWeM7hht62RHSLzemhbyj79_aJ_tPP/s640/toyjoy5.jpg)
The other vending machine's lock is functional, so the screw driver failed to open it. I wonder how much it would cost to have a key cut for it...
The two Toy n Joy vending machines are both dime vend and made for toy capsules. As you can see, they are made by the L. M. Becker & Co in Appleton, Wisconsin. They are still in business and they are still selling the Toy n Joy vendors and stock. Looking over their inventory there's not much I could buy to make a profit from a dime a piece. I may order some capsules though and fill them with the prizes that came with the machines and whatever else I can find -- I think I still have some of those trolls...
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