Coin-in-the-slot machines were largely the inventions of the 19th century, by the 1880s they had become a commercial product. This vending machine is an example of the most common design of early machines.
To ensure access to Nestle's One-Penny chocolate bars, vending machines like this were located in busy foot traffic locations such as railway stations, bus stops and dairies. It was operated by the "column and drawer" principle. The chocolate bars were stacked one above the other inside the machine. A glass window on the front allowed the customer to see the amount of stock left. A coin inserted in the top of the machine activated the mechanics until the purchaser could open the drawer at the bottom and remove the chocolate bar. Closing the drawer re-locked the system.
English companies such as the Postcard Automatic Supply Company and the Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Company, developed some of the earliest machines dedicated to the supply of a particular brand. Cadbury and Nestle were well-known names on chocolate dispensers.
The introduction of decimal currency led to the alteration of hundreds of thousands of vending machines so they could take the new coins. Today electronic designs allow vending machines to accept a wide variety of coins while discarding buttons, foreign currency and plastic counters.
