by Bill Howard
The Wrigley Brothers used many types of coin
operated machines over the years to promote or
vend their gum. Most notable of this group is the
Wrigley Dice Machine pictured below that was
manufactured by the Dunn Brothers in Anderson,
Indiana, in 1905. See this machine featured on page
121 of Every Picture Tells a Story. Another period
Dunn/Wrigley trade stimulator similar in size but
featuring a roulette wheel under a glass dome en-
couraged the player to bet on the amount of gum or other trade credit he would receive for his coin.
Both machines are almost companion pieces and look wonderful together.
I was able to purchase the dicer years ago from friend and dealer Mike Gorski of Westlake, Ohio. The
mechanism is extremely well built and includes a thick glass globe over a large dice, five sides of which
contain the number" l" and the sixth the number "2", all in gold yellow. Thus the player had a one in six
chance of getting two Wrigley gums instead of one. The base of
the machine is surrounded by glass, so that the player can view
his dice as it flips when the plunger at the base is depressed . All
examples I have seen operate with a nickel , not a penny.
This is a scarce machine and almost impossible to find in origi-
nal condition. The metal base is hardly ever found with original
finish, and the glass sides and globe top are usually broken, not
withstanding the thickness of the glass. And because of the glass
construction, the original paper and glass are almost always miss-
ing when an example is found. The correct paper should read, in
capital letters, "YOU CAN'T LOSE" and advertise Juicy Fruit
Gum. Finally, the door and lock are almost always missing as
well. The existence of the glass sides must have served to deter the
use of a slug, which would immediately appear on top of the coins
inside, in front of God and everyone.
This example is in almost all original condition, as I happened
to be at Mike's at the right time, the day after he got it for resale.
What is so interesting about the Wrigley Dicer is that it com-
bines so many features of coin operated machines into one; ad-
vertising, a gambling feature, a trade stimulator, and a sense of
amusement.
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