U.S. Militaria in Bubble Gum Machine
 

These items came out of a bubble gum machine that was inside an A & P grocery store. I remember I put my quarters in when I got them to try and get the American armoured division patch that was advertised. This would have been in, if I remember correctly, the mid to early 70s.

It is an interesting mix including an unusual airman rank patch, I believe a W.W.II patch denoting honourable discharge and the crossed arrows which cries special forces, but I couldn’t find anything on them.

Anyone else get their first militaria out of a bubble gum machine?

Are these things real?

I can’t see a company mass producing these things for bubble gum machines, but my knowledge of business is limited at best. When the last egg was bought that was it for militaria in the machine.

Hi there

The "patches" were contracted and made for the military.

There were millions of patches that were in supply channels at the end of WWII and were sold off or government surplus auction to collector clubs, post war and into the 50's and 60's.

Enterprising business's /manufacturers put together and sold patches (in wrappers) in their products as patriotic collectible item(s) just like baseball cards.

Business companies could source from any major military collector club outlet like Patch King ( they were one of the largest and well known catalogue sellers) or could bid on government surplus auctions.

You will find some rare ones but its normally the standard WWII issued but also 50's and 60's cut edge.

Phill

Hello,

Patches such as these came as prizes in boxes of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes in the early to mid 1950’s. I still have mine from about 65 years ago. It was a sad day when it ended.

Don

So they are the original "Corn Flakes Box" badges. A term once used in the UK for fake and repro badges.

Marc

Correct Marc

The major difference is that they were legit authorized SSI left over from the stock piles of patches. There would of been unauthorized(50/50 embroidered and Twill showing) but still issued or worn by US personnel during the war.

I should of added a marketing gimmick at the time.

Phill

Phill, thanks for the information.

Marc, Don, I’m curious about how the patches were put into the cereal boxes. Were they just thrown in the box or were they wrapped somehow?

Marc, were the cereal box patches in the U.K. actually fake and what would happen with all the surplus in the U.K.?

I suspect that I got these items right at the tail end of when it was politically correct to promote things with military items (although there is a base here and it did have a large U.S. presence at one time). About this time G.I. Joe was becoming an adventurer not a soldier.

Dean

Dean,

I personally don’t remember but it was stated on another forum that they came in a cellophane packet. At a show I attended there was a dealer with a few of these for sale. I should have bought one. 20/20 hindsight.

Don

1. were the cereal box patches in the U.K. actually fake and
2. what would happen with all the surplus in the U.K.?

1. The term was used in the UK by collectors to describe any fake or reproduction badge, regardless of where it came from. As far as I know the only items that we had in cereal packets were the free gift toys.

2. Most military surplus items were destroyed, although there were and are occasions when it is released to the public through the contracted dealers and the MoD sales.

Marc

Hi Dean

As per Don, they were put in cellophane wrappers for hygiene purposes.

Look on them as a selling gimmick of the times.

I know of a Ranger Diamond being found in one, still in its wrapper.

Phill