“Cash for rares”
“You won’t take them home with you anymore”: Waldi really wants to buy ballpoint pen machines
Walter “Waldi” Lehnertz is very enthusiastic about the three machines that are being auctioned off at “Bares für Rares”.
© ZDF
Three machines from the 50s and 60s are for sale at “Bares für Rares”. You could buy ballpoint pens in one – Walter “Waldi” Lehnertz was spontaneously enthusiastic.
“A whole vending machine factory,” exclaims Horst Lichter happily when he sees the three devices in the expert room of “Cash for Rares”. They belong to Bernd Dietrich. The measurement technician from Eriskirch inherited them from his father, who sold jukeboxes, pinball machines, slot machines and the like in his shop.
As Detlev Kümmel explains, these are coin-operated vending machines. The first one dates back to the early 1960s, where you could buy a pinch of cologne for 10 pfennigs. The second machine is more bizarre: you could get a ballpoint pen for one mark. The third unit dates back to the 1950s and offered soapy towels.
“Cash for Rares”: Waldi is thrilled
According to Kümmel, at least the ballpoint pen machine is a real rarity. Because – no wonder – they didn’t catch on back then. For one thing, they often got warm and then dried out or leaked. The other reason, explains Kümmel: “Who buys a ballpoint pen? You borrow it.” The seller would like 999 euros for the three machines. But the expert gives hope for more: He estimates the total value at 1,200 to 1,500 euros.
In the dealer’s room, Walter “Waldi” Lehnertz and Jos van Katwijk examine the objects. “Waldi” is particularly impressed. “You make me very happy because you brought a ballpoint pen machine,” he greets the salesman. “And I have a collection.” He announces straight away: “You won’t be taking them home with you anymore.”
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“Waldi” follows up his pithy sayings with action and starts the auction with 300 euros. In a three-way battle with Wolfgang Pauritsch and van Katwijk, he pushed the price up to 1000 euros. Dietrich would like a little bit more. He initially rejects the offer of 1,050 euros and demands 1,100 euros. That’s too much for “Waldi”. At the end he adds his obligatory 80 euros – and for 1080 euros the three machines change hands.
Seller Bernd Dietrich is more than satisfied. He wants to use the money to go on vacation with his wife “and do a little bit of cleaning up.”
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