Vending machine toys

[adonael]

I was thinking about collecting vending machine toys from various years and was wondering if anyone else ever shared this interest.

[kylefromdirtnapp]

I have some, but I don't go after them. Sounds like a pretty big challenge trying to figure out how many were in a series.

[StarRunn]

Vending Machines started dispensing little toys in capsules way back in the early 1950s. I know this because I was there when it happened! Cost back then was 10¢ and the prizes were basically the same plastic charms that were available loose and bagged elsewhere. It didn’t take too long for manufacturers to start making new items specifically to fill the plastic capsules. Rings were a popular subject. There were plenty of licensed toys dropping out of those machines in the ‘60s – Batman, Marvel Comics, The Monkees. Eventually, the toys and the capsules got larger, with the price going up to 25¢. The next jump was to 50¢ and today a lot of the capsulated toys cost 75¢! The range of subject matter is pretty wide, but I’d say that the stuff based on TV shows would be the most collectable. The Japanese have certainly taken vending machine toys to the highest levels (and costs), going as far as packing complete mini-model kits of their giant robot TV heroes into oversized capsules.

So, adonael, are you really interested in stuff spanning six decades, or are you mainly interested in newer subjects – Power Rangers, Homies, Ben 10 and the Japanese robots?

Collecting this sort of stuff can be a lot of fun. I did it for many years, but I started winding down with the 50¢ price and got completely turned off at 75¢. I’d enjoy showing off some of my old stuff. Last month I did post one group of vending machine figures in the Plastic Army Men and More thread. Here it is again, along with a couple more sets that would probably be more appropriate here anyway!

Shoulder Pad Warriors – I don’t know if this set of fantasy figures had a proper name. I call them Shoulder Pad Warriors for the obvious design element. These were dispensed in capsules from vending machines back in the day when you could get a decent size toy for 25¢. I don’t remember exactly when these were available, but my best guess would be 1987. I managed to get 10 different, but I’m sure there were more, probably 12 at the very least. “HONG KONG” is molded on the backs.

Size: 1 ⅞”, approximately 1/40 scale.



Space Aliens – Here’s another incomplete set of VM figures. There has to be a twelfth character. These most likely date from the late ‘80s to the early ‘90s. Hong Kong is molded on their backs.

Size: 1 ¾”.



Parachute Aliens – This is a pretty diverse looking group; there’s even a Gremlins ripoff among them. I made no attempt to get a complete set. I just want a few samples. I’m pretty sure I found these in 1992.

Sizes: 1 ⅞” to 2 ⅛”.

[adonael]

Those are interesting. I like those a lot.

It's more along the lines of collecting vending machine toys that strike my interest. One of which I have I'm not sure of the name, but a few lines I'm interested in is Ninja men, little vinyal ninjas that look similar to the SOMA ninjas of the 80's,Robotakons, warbots and any other that strikes my interest really.

The other one is best explained as little rubber creatures.

I'll post a photo of the creature as soon as I can.

I've also considered buying a case of Ninja men directly from the whole seller,since I can't find them. I don't know what I'd do with 250 of them, though.

[kylefromdirtnapp]

Those Soma ninjas and the like came in vending machines? I thought they came in sets of 12 or something. I really do like these and wanna see more pix! I have a few, I need to snap some new pix of mine.

[adonael]

The soma ninja's were never sold in vending machines that I know of, but the ninja warriors/ Ninja men were and had similar styling.

[3 3/4"collector]

when homies first started I collected them for a bit.

Im sort of a crazy mr cat lady and I collect gashapon machine cats. they are mostly Barbie scale. there are a few papo and schliech in there to.

[adonael]

Here is the blister pack for a ninja vending machine. The display is double sided:





Here is a single sample:



And in case you are curious...



That's what 250 ninjas look like. Lol

Sorry for the blurry images I only have my phone for the moment.

Here is a image of the creature. Its a terrible image though. You can't see any of the detail.

[retro]

YES THE TOYS IN THE MACHINES ARE SOMETIMES INTERESTING OR EYE CATCHING THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE A VALUE ONE DAY

[jughead]

I used to buy these all the time growing up in the late 80's/early 90's. There were some cool figures for sure.
I'm going to see if i can find the ones that i kept, they should be in a box somewhere..

[actionplus]

I've collected vending toys for at least 20 years. When I was a kid, we didn't have much money, so I would collect soda bottles and cash them in for vending machine change at the corner grocer. I have a pretty large collection, although I sold off some things. Here's a nice machine window display:

This is a set of folding monster figure charms:
Wolfman:

Hunchback:

Frankenstein:

Dracula:

Here are some monster finger puppet charms, they are more scarce than the pencil topper size:

Here are some of the rubber jigglers. These were my favorite things to get from the machines in the 70's:

Some more displays, etc:

Some charms on display:

[StarRunn]

Wow, that's a very impressive collection and some very nice displays. Thanks for sharing.

[Remington]

I just found out about the ninja men figures, I always passed them up at my work in the vending machines but they always turned my head, I bought a few and now I want MORE! I wish they were 25c instead of 50c but there still worth it, My only problem with machines like these are I always feel so stupid buying them in mass amounts dropping my quaters in and everyone around is prolly thinking.."wtf is that kid doing?"

Im still trying to find all the places around me that would have them, So far the store that did find them (my work) is jungle jim's grocery store, I've checked meijer/walmart and had no luck finding them.

[sakuraxchan]

The first pic (shoulder pad warriors) are actually Saint Seiya figures!! (Knights of the zodiac, for USA)

And yes, they are from 1987!!

[jongernaut]

My girlfriend bought me this 80's vending machine robot for Christmas!!!!
He lights up and talks, his name is ORRG. He came loaded with 200 boring lizards but I've filled him with my Mutant Mania doubles and created a custom placard for them too. When I fix my camera I'll upload pics of the new MM set-up and hopefully a video!

[kylefromdirtnapp]

That's f-ing killer! It's like having a ride on Battle Cat or one of them R2-D2 coolers.

[underworldwarrior]

that vending machine is SUPER F'N COOL!!!! I can recall as a kid getting little he-man figures out of the gumball machines or vending machines, I think I still have a couple floating around

[ijaowoo]

Apr 5, 2014 1:04:33 GMT -6 3 3/4"collector said:

when homies first started I collected them for a bit.

Im sort of a crazy mr cat lady and I collect gashapon machine cats. they are mostly Barbie scale. there are a few papo and schliech in there to.

are you collecting topps kitties toys? i believe it would be great to have them in your collection.

[jerryonly68]

Jul 7, 2014 17:22:58 GMT -6 StarRunn said:

Wow, that's a very impressive collection and some very nice displays. Thanks for sharing.

great collection, super rubber monsters, they're awesome !

[aoiddr]

Dec 31, 2014 22:43:39 GMT -6 jongernaut said:

My girlfriend bought me this 80's vending machine robot for Christmas!!!!
He lights up and talks, his name is ORRG. He came loaded with 200 boring lizards but I've filled him with my Mutant Mania doubles and created a custom placard for them too. When I fix my camera I'll upload pics of the new MM set-up and hopefully a video!

Dang, that machine is awesome! Congrats!


About the only place I recall ever seeing capsule machines anymore are a few at Toy's R Us when you're leaving, and if I ever go to a convention and they have the Japanese-style gashapon machines.