One of the hottest toys of the just-concluded Christmas season turned out to be a mini-ATM-for kids. Called the "Youniverse ATM Machine" and manufactured by Summit Financial Products, the machines sold out at stores (10,000 from Toys R Us in four days) and on the Home Shopping Network (where it sold out in three minutes). On eBay, the $24.95 toys were going for up to $70.
The Youniverse ATM includes an ATM card that can be inserted and requires that a PIN be used and has a fake security camera. Users are greeted by an electronic message while they await real currency to be dispensed (the machine also acts as a modern-day electronic piggy bank). The company says it has manufactured two-million of the machines over the past three years, but the toy has only gotten hot this year.