Cash Machine (ATM) 1967

Cash Machine (ATM) 1967

Shepherd Barron spreads the process of cash withdrawal. There was a time not to do long ago when there was no such things as a cash machine. If you wanted to withdrawal some money, you had to go a building and speak to teller. Now of course it is possible to get cash from 1.6 million automated teller machine worldwide, in stores, cinemas and even the southern rim of the Grand Canyon

Exactly who we have to thank for this stroke of technological banking services is a matter of some controversy. Luther George Simjan, a prolific inventor of his time, devised the very first "Cash-point" in 1939. Installed by the city Bank of New York this cash machine saw little use except with Prostitutes and gamblers, who didn't want to deal with teller face to face. The machine was removed. There followed lull in the history of the cash point that lasted nearly thirty years. Then in 1967, John shepherd Barron an inventor of Scottish descent had an idea in the bath for a machine that would give you money, anywhere in the world, North London in 1967. This early cash machine was operated by a "token" resembling a check impregnated with radioactive material which was verified against a four digit personal identification number (PIN Code) Why four digits? Because that is the most the inventor's wife could remember.

The first plastic card operated ATM was invented by Texan Don Wetzel, a short time later a some people (Including the Smithsonian Institution) credit him with being the inventor of the ATM.

"I hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser but replacing chocolate with cash"

                                                                                         - John Shepherd Barron