Vintage Mechanical Banks: Moving Experiences
Mason mechanical bank, Shepard Hardware Co., 1887. Cast iron, paint. Place coin on the hod, press lever and hod carrier leans forward, coin falls into brick wall while the brick layer raises his arms, (professionally touched up paint), key, base 7 7/16 by 4 in., $1,652.
Cast-iron mechanical banks with moving animals, characters and historical figures first appeared in 1870 as a way to encourage children to save money. A recent sale at Donley Auctions in Illinois featured a single collection of rare mechanical banks. The most expensive was a Circus bank made in 1888 that auctioned for $5,605. It features […]