Ok, here's a new one, factory stamped RC81 embossing?

[tkaz]

On Etsy of all sites, came across this one, $3500???

VMC 81 Royal Crown Cola Sign

https://www.etsy.com/listing/170640999/vmc-81-royal-crown-cola-machine-sign

* Vintage Original 1950's Unpainted , Embossed , Stamped , Sheet Metal Sign/Plate

* The Sign/Plate says ...

Serve Yourself
Royal Crown Cola
Better Taste Calls For RC

* Bare Metal Stamping ... Never Painted ... Never Cut

* Original Factory Made Stamping

* Heavy Gauge Sheet Metal

* Very , Very Rare !!!

* Appears to be a ' Factory Test Stamping ' for the ...
VMC 81 Royal Crown Cola Vending Machine Door

* Actual Sign/Plate Size is - 12" (H) x 20" (W)

* Photos of the Sign/Plate have been cropped slightly for better clarity

[Pixel]

It looks like a large "bubble" of metal around the impression. Would that have happened on a test run?

[mygoose101]

Wow, imagine that. Someone just happen to find the original test stamp for the RC 81. I think I've heard it all now. Pleazzzze!

[mygoose101]

But I must say I'm a little disappointed that he doesn't also have the original test stamp for the Ideal 55 Dad's root beer embossed slider. I guess that would be asking too much.

[kbareit]

Wow, imagine that. Someone just happen to find the original test stamp for the RC 81. I think I've heard it all now. Pleazzzze!

Might be the very last stamp they made. When pulling dies they would place one of the metal stampings between the upper and lower dies to protect the lettering.

[BONOVOX]

I cant really see from my tablet... but is there a Registered "R" symbol at to the right of N on CROWN  ?

Even if it is.... I see swirl marks on the metal.... NEW metal from the mills do not have those swirl marks.  Swirl marks come after the metal has been cleaned, polished, altered etc....

 

[johnieG]

There are fake...a run of these Chinese made knock off stampings a few years back on Ebay, these are not NOS, they are hydro-stamped* ( not hard metal die stamped) they were sold as "patch panels" & quickly shut down by Royal Crown for copy right infringement, there are a few still floating around out there to date as you can see, basically they were used to "convert" a generic VMC-81 to an RC VMC-81 to enable the seller to fleece an unsuspecting dupe into shelling out big bucks for a phony-baloney machine.

* hydro stamping uses a female stamping die below & a large bladder filled with hydraulic oil above in a captured vessel, then they pressurize the bladder to a few thousand PSI & it "stamps" the metal into the female die, thus transferring the desired embossing.  It's not as detailed as a male female dedicated die-set, as the rubber cant conform as sharply to female cavity, the stampings will look "soft" on the rise-edges & you can see the bulge caused by the bladder onto the steel.

always ask to see the back side of the embossed door, I would if I were paying big bucks for a "rare" machine.

 

[mygoose101]

Agree, this is why I feel a unrestored RC 81 will always be worth more money if it is left unrestored regardless of the condition. There is only one RC 81 restored that I would ever buy and that belongs to a good friend of mine who I have known for over 25 years and has owned that machine even before I met him.

[Pixel]

There are fake...a run of these Chinese made knock off stampings a few years back on Ebay, these are not NOS, they are hydro-stamped* ( not hard metal die stamped) they were sold as "patch panels" & quickly shut down by Royal Crown for copy right infringement, there are a few still floating around out there to date as you can see, basically they were used to "convert" a generic VMC-81 to an RC VMC-81 to enable the seller to fleece an unsuspecting dupe into shelling out big bucks for a phony-baloney machine.

* hydro stamping uses a female stamping die below & a large bladder filled with hydraulic oil above in a captured vessel, then they pressurize the bladder to a few thousand PSI & it "stamps" the metal into the female die, thus transferring the desired embossing.  It's not as detailed as a male female dedicated die-set, as the rubber cant conform as sharply to female cavity, the stampings will look "soft" on the rise-edges & you can see the bulge caused by the bladder onto the steel.

always ask to see the back side of the embossed door, I would if I were paying big bucks for a "rare" machine.

 

That bulge is the "bubble" I was talking about, isn't it? I thought it looked suspicious. Genuine embossing on a machine has a nice flat evenness around the stamp.

I have to admit, this is one of the more unusual scams out there.

[sc1101]

Wow I never new that these fake plates existed. I didn't realize people were really going to that extent to fake an RC81. I always thought it was a rumor that people really cut out and welded the piece in place. Some scum will do anything for a buck.