Automated Vending Machine Stamps

On August 9, 1976 the Swiss Post Office installed experimental variable rate stamp vending machines in four different post office lobbies. The customer would approach the machine, select the value of the stamp he/she wanted, insert the appropriate payment, and the machine would produce and dispense gummed security paper on which postal indicia of the requested value was imprinted. For the first experiment, each machine had a unique identifier (A1 through A4) that was printed as part of the indicia.

After the successful experiment, additional machines were rolled out beginning June 26, 1978 but without the unique identifiers.