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A vending machine is a machine that dispenses merchandise when a customer deposits money, validated by a currency detector, sufficient to purchase the desired item. This is in contract to a shop or store, where the presence of personnel is required for every purchase. Historians believe that the first vending machine was by Hero of Alexandria, a 1st century inventor. His machine accepted a coin and then dispensed a fixed amount of "holy water". Today vending machines across America sell a wide range of merchandise, such as snack foods, candy, soft drinks, bottled water, personal hygiene items, trinkets and small toys, gumballs, postage stamps, newspapers, and even movie tickets.
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