Courtesy Gold To Go
What happened to the days where vending machines only sold Fritos and Coke?
For the believers of Glenn Beck’s gold standard, your purchase just got easier. In the retiree-heavy town of Boca Raton, Fla., a new vending machine stands above the rest at the Town Center mall. A German company is installing a machine that sells gold bars and coins. Just swipe your credit card now – and hope that it doesn’t burst into flames.
(More from NewsFeed: Read about the German artist selling artwork in vending machines.)
The company, aptly titled Gold To Go, is bringing their gold dispensing machine to the U.S. after encountering success (and, evidently, very wealthy buyers) in the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Italy and Spain. The machine can hold up to $150,000 in gold and automatically adjusts its pricing every 10 minutes to reflect the going rate. Buyers can choose exactly what size and style of gold they want using a touchscreen. Then the machine releases the gold in a stylish black box.
(More on TIME.com: See if gold is the best bet for investors in an economic downturn.)
But if you were hoping to carry out your transaction in peace, you’re out of luck. The machine is flanked by an armed bodyguard and monitored by a myriad of cameras. Hoping that Boca’s machine is a gold rush, Gold To Go plans to install 40 more gold dispensers in upscale malls and hotels across the U.S. They’re joining a vending-machine craze that seeks to streamline purchases of iPods and acne medicine; now even nightclubs are featuring automated machines selling shoes.
Impulse buyers beware: the gold vending machine is placed strategically outside the mall’s gourmet chocolate shop. (via Associated Press)