EXHIBITS

The automatic holy water server with coin-collector

The first vending machine in human history - 1st c. A.D.

It is the oldest automatic vending machine in history. It was placed outside temples and allowed the faithful to obtain holy water by dropping a five-drachma coin into a vessel. The coin fell onto the disc of a balance, the diversion of which opened a conical valve and certain amount of water flowed out.

SOURCE: Heron of Alexandria, Pneumatics.