Abstract: A machine for vending single copies of newspapers comprises a magazine compartment housing a downwardly and forwardly inclined newspaper support platform, a driving arrangement for lowering the platform to the base of the machine preparatory to loading newspapers on the platform, a manually operable crank mechanism responsive to insertion of a coin to permit rotation of the crank mechanism to raise the platform a distance determined by the thickness of the single paper, a dispensing wedge and a discharge chute horizontally aligned with each other, whereby a single copy newspaper is dispensed across the dispensing wedge and through the discharge chute as the newspaper support platform is elevated said predetermined distance by the manually operable crank mechanism in response to a coin being inserted in the machine.