Oak Acorn?

[hardpanman]

I have what I think is an Oak Acorn. It has a serial number on the hopper. Did Oak use serial numbers? Or is this hopper a replacement?

[gumball guy]

The hopper looks legit but I'm no antique vending machine aficionado. I do know that some of the older ones (40s and 50s) had serial numbers. You can reach out to Steve at Gumballstuff.com (he's a member here too). He may have more info on the serial numbers but it may take a while for him to get back to you....he's a busy guy. I actually have some later model Acorns still out on route with 25cent mechs. Great machines.

[hardpanman]

Thanks for that info. I have been looking at several red machines on ebay and some of them do have the numbering, with different letter prefixes and 5-digit numbers like mine. One of them also had an Oak decal on the back with seven patent numbers listed. I was able to decipher 5 of them and the latest was filed in 1959 and granted in 1961. So, I figure mine is from the 60s, with a plastic brush housing. The paint job is unique. It looks like powder coating and there is not a trace of any other paint, red or otherwise.

[gumball guy]

1 hour ago, hardpanman said:

Thanks for that info. I have been looking at several red machines on ebay and some of them do have the numbering, with different letter prefixes and 5-digit numbers like mine. One of them also had an Oak decal on the back with seven patent numbers listed. I was able to decipher 5 of them and the latest was filed in 1959 and granted in 1961. So, I figure mine is from the 60s, with a plastic brush housing. The paint job is unique. It looks like powder coating and there is not a trace of any other paint, red or otherwise.

The paint job is probably a third party job. The brush housing is easily changed out. That version probably started out with a metal brush housing and wheel like this one....

https://www.gumballstuff.com/vintage-metal-candy-nut-chiclet-wheel-and-brush-set-oak-acorn/