Cyrus Melikian, creator of the coffee vending machine

Cyrus Melikian (1920–2008) was an Armenian-American inventor and entrepreneur. In the 1940s he created the world’s first coffee vending machine, which brewed and served fresh coffee instantly. Thanks to this invention, coffee vending machines spread widely in offices, airports and public places. Melikian also played an important role in developing single-cup coffee brewing technology and held many patents.

The photograph shows two men standing beside an old brown coffee vending machine marked “Hot Coffee” in English, with a price of 10 cents.