Wednesday, December 1, 2010

All That Glitters: ATM in UAE Hotel Distributes Gold Bars

I. So. Freakin'. Want. This. [Actually I could've really used something like this when gold was running between $200 and $400 an ounce- NANESB!]

A luxury hotel in the United Arab Emirates has made available to its guests an ATM Machine that dispenses gold bars and customized gold coins. The machine, designed by German businessman Thomas Geissler, contains an internal computer that updates gold prices every 10 minutes while the exterior actually has a thin plating of gold. Geissler had decided to debut the machine in the United Arab Emirates because of the increasing demand for gold in the region.

Customers and guests at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace hotel can purchase coins or 10g bars (some with the Hotel's logo etched on them) by inserting drachma- the local currency- into the machine and choosing from a number of items on a touchscreen menu.

Geissler said that his Gold to Go company is close to completing a machine that would be able to accept credit cards as well. After debuting the golden ATM in the Emirates, Gold to Go installed at least a half dozen more machines in Germany as well as one each in Italy and Spain.

There are also plans to install gold ATMs in the USA at locations in Las Vegas and Florida, although Geissler hasn't disclosed the exact location yet.

1 comment:

  1. They can also install them in government office building. They're the only ones making much money these days.

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