The earliest concept of capsule toys likely originated from toy vending machines in the United States that existed before 1920. These machines mostly dispensed chewing gum, snacks, or small toys, which were not packaged in plastic egg shells at that time. The upper part of these machines was a transparent sphere containing the items, while the lower part was a metal body. After inserting a coin and turning the knob, a toy or candy would drop out. In the U.S., such machines were called "bubblegum machines" or "candy machines." Later, this type of vending machine was introduced to Japan, where Japanese companies improved upon it and popularized it, leading to the capsule toy vending machines commonly seen today.