Mechanical Parking Meter Appraisal

Vintage POM Inc. Mechanical Parking Meter

This is a vintage mechanical parking meter manufactured by POM Inc. of Russellville, Arkansas, USA. The unit features a heavy-duty cast aluminum or zinc alloy housing with an industrial gray powder-coated finish. It possesses a dual-chamber design: the upper section contains the coin mechanism and the timing display under a curved glass or plexiglass window, while the lower section houses the secured coin vault. A single vertical coin slot is located on the front face, framed by a metal plate showing signs of oxidation and pitting. Below the slot, a small white identification tag reads 'VETER NUMBER VPM 142', and a black instructional plate states 'INSERT COIN TO DISPLAY TIME PURCHASED'. The item exhibits significant signs of age and outdoor exposure, including heavy surface dirt, cobwebs, scuffing, and localized corrosion on the metal components. The timing display window is clouded with oxidation, obscuring the internal dial. The overall construction is utilitarian and robust, typical of mid-to-late 20th-century municipal equipment. The unit appears to be a decommissioned piece of urban infrastructure, likely dating from the 1960s to the 1980s, valued now as a piece of Americana or industrial memorabilia.