So yeah… from the file of little known facts… today is the 40th birthday for the Automated Teller Machine in the US… there was actually a false start 70 years ago in 1939 when Luther Simjian had his early attempt at an ATM installed at the City Bank of New York. It lasted 6 months before being uninstalled due to non-use. Come 1969 though, the time was ripe as a patent held by Donald Wetzel for networked ATM’s had its first machine installed in Dallas, Texas. Today, there’s an estimated 403,000 ATM’s installed in the US, 239 new ATM’s are installed every day.
Here’s some more interesting facts;
- $9 million is the largest amount ever stolen from ATM’s in one heist. 130 ATM’s were targeted in that robbery which lasted a little less than 30 minutes.
- 55% of daily ATM activity are withdrawls, 18% are deposits, 9% are balance inquiries and 18% are any of the other possible transactions.
- There’s one ATM for every 761 permanent residents in the US.
- There’s approximately $2,805 in circulation for every man, woman and child in the US.
And in the believe it or not department… 16 micrograms is the average amount of cocaine found on each US bill in circulation.
Ahh… ATM’s… I can remember times they’ve been my most needed friend… like an oasis in the desert… and then other times left yanking my hair out when the minimum withdrawal was $20 and I had $19.58 in my account… one way or another though, an old friend is celebrating a milestone birthday… 40 years of tirelessly consolidating and networking our collected wealth under one convenient mattress for when the bogey man comes to huff and puff and blow it all down…
Way to make 40 Mr. Automated Teller Machine… here’s wishing you, as well as my life savings, many more…
