As a major cultural hub, New York City is known for its innovation and technology: in a past feature, we documented some of the quirkiest ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) we’ve come across in the city, including the immensely popular Cupcake ATM and the Gold ATM. Now, we’re spotlighting inventive vending machines that are popping up across the five boroughs.
From machines that dish out bike parts to ones that serve freshly squeezed orange, vending machines now offer a range of items beyond bags of chips, candy and beverages. Here are 10 of the most diverse ones that you can find in New York City.
1. The Gold ATM
Located just outside Stack’s Bowers Rare Coin Gallery on West 57th, between 6th and 7th Avenue, this gold ATM actually dispenses gold bars and rare coins at regularly updated prices. Reported as completely theft proof, the gold ATM is one of only a handful in the entire world — and while we’re not sure who’s buying gold from an ATM, they’re apparently very popular and used daily.
The machines, which are covered in 24 karat gold leaf, are all made by TG Gold-Super-Markt corporation, an online trading platform for precious metals.