This auction is for a vintage gumball machine from the 1960s along with complete set of all 36 Marvel Mini-Books still in their original capsules just as they were sold in gumball machines in 1966.  Also, the set will come with a special clear plastic display case that has 36 sections to it, one for each of the Mini-Books and their bubbles.

About Marvel Mini-Books:  These comics are distinguished as being the smallest comics ever published and are about the height of a dime.  The series was sold in gumball machines, and each book was dispensed in a small capsule.  Six characters were featured in this series (Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Sgt. Nick Fury, Millie the Model), and each was published in six different colors (light green, dark green, blue, yellow, orange, red), all of which are included in this auction.  Mini-Books are the first Marvel variant comics ever published.  Also, the Spider-Man story features an encounter between him and Superman, making this the first Marvel-DC crossover ever.  Please note:  Some very rare "7th color variants" of these Mini-Books exist, but they are not included in this auction.

About the vending machine:   This vending machine shows outward wear from years (possibly decades) of use but is made from very sturdy, durable materials:  a solid metal base and dispenser mechanism and a thick plastic display bubble, all designed to withstand extremely heavy public use / abuse and provide protection against theft and vandalism.  It is over half a century old and still works smoothly, and it should be noted that any genuine vintage machine that was used to sell these items for years on end will inevitably display heavy wear that clearly would serve as living proof of its authenticity.  So while there is cosmetic wear to the machine, it still works smoothly. The machine operates by turning the handle counterclockwise, and no coin is needed to dispense the bubbles.  Photos of the machine show it from all sides, and it measures 16" tall with a 6.5" width and 6.5" depth.  The key and lock work perfectly and are high quality and tamper-proofed against would-be thieves, yet also it is  smooth enough for vendors to quickly reload the machine and not cause unwanted delays on the vendor's route. Top-down photos here are also shown of the empty display interior with the exposed dispenser mechanism and the mechanism with some bubbles loaded into the dispenser tray.  The final photo shows how the 36 bubbles containing Mini-Books were loaded into the display; since the dispenser with 36 bubbles was only about 1/3 full, a piece of cardboard was inserted along with a few packing peanuts to make the display appear full for the picture used here in this auction.  In other words, it would take probably close to 90 or so bubbles to fill this from the bottom to the top.  The "KOMET" decal is adhered to the interior of the plastic display.  The Marvel Mini-Book header card is also adhered to the interior, and it displays well, but it is possible it is a copy.  Many header cards were used to sell these Mini-Books, some of which just stapled a sampling of the books to a piece of cardboard.  

Condition:  All 36 Mini-Books are unread with no creases, no spine splits, no writing.   All have the red mark on the edge.  All 36 vending machine bubbles are original; they open and close easily and display no cracks.  Vending machine is vintage and dispenses bubbles smoothly.  Some chipping of red paint on all four sides of base.  The thick clear plastic display is intact with no cracks but does have some surface wear and scratches.  Vending sticker and Komet decal both display wear.  The Marvel header card may be a reproduction.  See scans.