SMC Discussion Areas

As roundtops and other older machines are bought up or destroyed do you think we will start seeing an increase in the value of square tops over the next decade? Of course not all square tops will make ideal collectables but there are a few that are small, have glass doors, light up and vend all sorts of beverages. What are your thoughts?

You're seeing a increase now I think.... small 56s , 63s are becoming very popular...
you use to not be able to give them away about 10 years ago... now you see them
up into the hundreds and I've seena few around $1500+ in original condition
... Randy in Ozark does real well restoring them and there's another company
restoring them as different beer brands and sell them for a few thousand... I think
they have a website...beermachines.com? they set up at Chicagoland every year.

I think the smaller ones, if done right are great looking machines... My first ST was a 7up
56.... embossed I sold it 6 or 7 years ago to a candy store in Oklahoma for $1300.
it was all original I did nothing to it... I got it a few years before for $250.

I am seeing the cavalier's uss/css-8-64's become more expensive. Years ago I saw them for 50 to 100 and now sellers are firm on 200 to 300. I still get them for 125-150 working and 40-50 non working. Funny thing about this machine is everyone seems to think they are from the 50's

When I started collecting machines, I despised them, but now they are growing on me as I own 3 now... I think the small machines or really anyone one of them with the glass bottle door type of vending will be collectable more and more down the road...

As collectors are no longer of the age where they remember the rt's as a kid, but remember the st's, that may come into play.  I don't remember rt's, but I do remember st's with long vending doors at the back of the grocery store.  The USS machines are nice for those who want the same "Feel" of a 50's machine but can't find bottles to stock them with.

thats a good point regarding the age of collectors or just someone in the market for a machine for their game room, they want the machine from their childhood.

If I had a place to store them and the cash to spare , I'd be buying up square tops and sitting on them to sell in 10-15 years.

I sure agree with the age deal.  It is what you remember when you were young is what you want to collect.  The round tops will always be the class stuff because they were the first.  I really like the 56 square tops, I have three now and will buy more as I find them.  I believe that the 56's and 64's are the future highly sought after.  

I will have to agree as well. I do remember the round top machines somewhat, but I remember the square tops and the sliders more, thats probably why I have have 8 of the square tops. I've always though they were a sharp looking machines.

I agree that the 56 and 64's will bring in the $$ first.  I have been grabbing every square top I come across and keeping them in the garage. They stack very easy. I might restore one as a corona machine to see what it will bring in on ebay.  

BTW that Dixie Narco pepsi machine from the late 80's early 90's that I picked up for $150.. Well I have seen a few sell for $450-$500

 I might restore one as a corona machine to see what it will bring in on ebay.  

    Be careful!

Anything old and functional usually goes up in value.
ST's will most definately climb in value - as Eric already stated, we have already seen an increase in value. Age will surely will play a roll, as Halehouse mentioned, but the RT will bring the big bucks - especially nice originals. Just look at some of those early 1900 gumball machines and stuff.
As fire, floods, hurricanes, etc. destroy some each year, the value wil increase. They are a great hedge against inflation.

copyright laws?

    Restoring as Corona is fine. But Ebay buyers do not take into
consideration how much you spent on a restoration. They will
bid as high as half of what you would expect it to be worth.
    That's why I offered the caution.
    Why not find a buyer first and build the machine to suit him!