Collectible Mechanical Banks

Start Your Savings Plan in a Mechanical Bank

Ever since James Serrill patented the first mechanical bank in 1869, people have been saving money in mechanical banks. You can easily start your savings account in a mechanical bank. You can find many choices when you search for mechanical banks for sale on eBay.

There are several types of mechanical coin banks for sale. Semi-mechanical banks rang a bell or did some other action each time someone deposits money in them. There are also registering mechanical banks. These banks release all their contents automatically once the bank contained a certain amount. You may also choose to specialize in conceptual banks that people designed but never released to the public.

Many companies made mechanical banks, including:

• John Harper and Company, Ltd. - This manufacturer from Willenhold, Staffordshire, England, made mechanical banks from 1880 until 1939. Workers made most of them, like their Speaking Dog, Giant in Tower, and Football Bank, from cast iron.
• Shepard Company - This Buffalo, New York, manufacturer made at least 15 models of mechanical banks between 1882 and 1892. Banks made by this company include Humpty Dumpty Wall Banks, Punch and Judy Banks, and Uncle Sam Banks.
• J and E Stevens Company - This Cromwell, Connecticut, manufacturer was making a range of mechanical banks by 1883 and continued to make them until at least 1928. Some models made by this company include a mule entering a barn, a pelican bank, and an old cabin bank.
• John D. Meyer - This American company made many mechanical banks from aluminum. Banks made by this company include Organ Banks, Mule Banks, and Mosque Banks.

You can find several common themes in mechanical coin banks, including:

• Historical events - Many mechanical banks were designed to commemorate an important historical event, including the founding of the Boy Scouts of America and Robert E. Peary's discovery of the North Pole.
• Comics - Buster Brown, Happy Hooligan, Foxy Grandpa, the Katzenjammer Kids, and others all had mechanical banks fashioned after them with most dating from 1903 to 1912.
• Political message - Some banks, like the Tammany Bank and the U. S. Canon Bank, were designed to send a political message. Some may have even been given away to remind people to support a cause.
• Animals - Many animals have been portrayed on clocks, including elephants, mules, cats, dogs, and bears.