Glass Block Banks

Q: I have a glass bank that is 4 3/4 inches high by 4 1/2 inches wide. It has raised letters that say “Watch your savings grow with Esso” and an oval with the Esso logo. Is it worth anything?

A: Clear glass block banks were popular advertising or promotional giveaways and souvenirs. They were printed, etched or embossed with all kinds of designs or company logos. Your glass block bank was available at service stations that sold Esso gasoline. The embossed logo and slogan on your bank was used by Esso starting in 1934. The bank probably had a paper label band around it when it was new. Some of the labels encouraged saving to buy U.S. Defense Bonds; later labels encouraged saving for Christmas, vacation, new car, and clothing. Your bank is from the early 1940s and is worth $40 to $75, depending on condition and clarity of the glass (some have yellowed). A bank with its label will bring a higher price. A glass block bank was also a popular souvenir at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. It has the same Esso logo on one side and the Trylon and Perisphere and “New York World’s Fair 1939” on the other. It can sell for up to $100.