Written by Barbara Toombs
Kiddie rides from the past are popular items at Barrett-Jackson’s Automobilia Auctions. At the 2015 Scottsdale auction, a rare, all-original Mobil Oil “Pegasus” coin-operated kiddie ride (Lot #8899) built and authorized by Mobil Oil for usage and display at the 1953 World’s Fair planned for St. Louis, Missouri, sold for $40,250.
Baby boomers will remember clearly going to the supermarket or dime store with mom or dad, begging to be allowed a ride on the horse, rocket ship, flying saucer, boat or car strategically placed right outside the entrance or inside the business. For a mere 10 cents, you could become Roy Rogers or Dale Evans, a “space man” on the way to the moon or a racecar driver – a pretty exciting prospect for any youngster.
American families were flocking to new “suburban” communities in the 1950s, where a large percentage of the population consisted of youngsters 14 and under. Shopping centers were springing up everywhere, catering to this new population, and merchants were eager to find creative ways of attracting shoppers to their doors. The coin-operated kiddie rides played a big role.
Look for this phenomenal 1950s Sandy 10-cent coin-operated kiddie ride on the 2017 Las Vegas auction block. It has been restored to day-one grandeur and works perfectly.
The origin of kiddie rides actually dates back much farther than the 1950s. In 1931, as a Christmas present for his children, Missouri inventor James Otto Hahs built a mechanical horse. He soon saw the possibilities of the horse as a commercial venture and began to work on a unit adaptable for coin operation. The resulting invention was an immediate hit in Hahs’ town, prompting him to take the coin-operated horses to the 1932 convention of the National Association of Amusement Parks, where they won an award as the best new piece of equipment. At the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago – and later the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair, Hahs had horse concessions that proved a huge success.
But interest in the rides stalled until 1949, when Harry Julius of the Tampa Amusement Company saw the potential for modern arcades and amusement parks, and commissioned Hahs to build some “Pony Express” experimental models. In early 1950, the horse ride was still considered an arcade piece, with no one considering its possible merchandising appeal. That all changed when a store manager at a new Kresge dime store in Sioux City, Iowa, saw a reference to coin-operated horses in a special issue of The Billboard (yes, that Billboard – which back then covered the “amusement industry” as a whole, rather than just music).
On the docket for the 2017 Las Vegas Automobilia Auction at No Reserve is this exquisite 1950s Chris Craft “Woody” speedboat coin-operated kiddie ride. Restored with African mahogany with great attention to detail, it is beautifully styled and works wonderfully.
The manager contacted a horse-ride manufacturer advertising in that issue and had one of the rides placed on location in the store for the opening week, on a free-ride basis. The response was overwhelming. Later, when the store placed the horse on coin operation, the ride receipts were so high and the lines so long that another concession was set up near the ride, which included guns, cowboy outfits and related items. They sold like hotcakes.
By 1953, coin-operated kiddie rides had become one of the fastest-growing businesses, with more than 20 manufacturers of these coin-operated marvels at that time. Billboard devoted a large special section to the phenomenon, calling it “a rare combination of wholesome fun and clever merchandising.” Department stores, variety stores, supermarkets, suburban shopping centers and countless other outlets clamored to get the latest models, realizing it encouraged parents to shop longer, and to enter the store more frequently to satisfy their children’s desire to ride the equipment. Store managers even observed parents giving their youngsters several dimes for the rides so they could shop by themselves!
This rare 1950s rocket ship kiddie ride was restored to day-one condition sold as Lot #6377 at the 2015 Las Vegas Auction for $16,675.
While massively popular in the ’50s and ’60s, the kiddie ride craze faded into obscurity soon thereafter, largely because of the daunting task of maintenance and lack of reliability. These early coin-operated kiddie rides, however, remain highly collectible because of their rarity and value; many are in private collections.
At Barrett-Jackson’s acclaimed automobilia auctions (held each day prior to the collector car auctions), numerous fine examples of vintage kiddie rides have made their way across the block, where they are often among the top sellers. An exquisite Chris-Craft coin-operated speedboat kiddie ride (Lot #9443), restored with beautiful African mahogany with great attention to detail, brought in $16,675 at the 2017 Scottsdale Auction. At the 2015 Scottsdale auction, a rare, all-original Mobil Oil “Pegasus” coin-operated kiddie ride (Lot #8899) built and authorized by Mobil Oil for usage and display at the 1953 World’s Fair which was planned for St. Louis, Missouri, sold for $40,250.
“Coin-operated rides have slowly built into one of the more unique and popular items featured in our automobilia auction,” said Rory Brinkman, longtime Barrett-Jackson Automobilia Director. “Originally it seemed like grandparents were purchasing the rides to entertain their grandchildren. Now they’re becoming more prominently displayed in respected collections because of their iconic value and collectibility.
“They foster childhood memories for most of us,” added Brinkman. “Ten years ago we were selling them for under $10,000, but lately that’s been the starting bid for most of rides we offer. We usually only feature one per auction, so they are special indeed.”
Another fantastic lineup of automobilia is on tap for the upcoming 10th Annual Las Vegas Auction. For information on how to become an automobilia bidder, click HERE.