Antique Coke Machines

The first thing you have to decide is whether you want a coca cola soda machine that is in original condition or whether you want it restored. At first you might think that you only want one in its original condition. But unless it's been carefully kept, it will really be showing its age after 50 or 60 years of benign neglect.

Then if you're serious about your coca cola collectibles you'll want to know what percentage of the coke machine is restored. If it is restored, were vintage and antique Coca Cola parts found to replace the damaged. This makes for the highest resale value, if you're buying for an investment.

But most importantly does it work and how does it work. Some restored antique coke machines only hold antique coke bottles. Not an optimum choice if you want it to be used as a drink dispenser. So it might be an appropriate modification to have a vintage coca cola soda machine that can dispense modern day drinks.

I grew up and live in rural America along the coast of Maine. Time moves more slowly here and I think people are much slower to throw things out. So I often saw and still see these old coke machines on the porches of rural general stores. No they no longer work, but they still sit there. It brings me back to my own childhood where you could still hear the compressors working and get a soda for less than a dollar from a vending machine.

There aren't enough of us Maniacs where I live to warrant the big chain convenience stores from opening up. So our small businesses are safe. But they have started to replace their older vintage coca cola soda machines. But usually the costs of hauling the old ones away mean that they stay nearby. Sometimes you can peak in a storage garage (or even just around the corner) and see these old beauties.