PENNY BANK POST
Still Bank Collectors Club of America
President
Harold Blau
Vice-President
Mike Holz
Secretary Harry Ward
Treasurer Dick Soukup
Past President & Member of the Board of Directors
Charles Meeks - 2006
Board of Directors
Elliotte Harold 2006
Dolli Ketron 2006
Fred Schien 2006
Ulrike Riegraf-Blank 2005
Ken Russell 2005
Historian
Jeanie Egelhoff
Membership Chairman Larry Egelhoff
Editor, Penny Bank Post
Tony Neilson
Webmaster
Greg Dean
Ethics Committee
Chairman
Michael Goldstein
Committee Members
Don Heim
Joe Wilkinson
Jim Yeager
FRONT
COVER
Charlie and Judy Reynolds sitting in their General Store in front of the recently completed batch of 2004 George Washington and Martha banks.
From The Editor’s Desk
My sincere thanks are extended to all those that contributed to making this issue possible-
Harold & Rona Blau, Fred Brandt, George Dean, Don Duer, Jeanie & Larry Egelhoff, Don Heim, Frank Kidd, Lloyd Martin, Charles Meeks, Lynn & Tony Neilson, Lance Oldham, Bob and Shirley Peirce, Merle Prins, Jim Redwine, Charlie and Judy Reynolds, Richard Soukup, Harry Ward, Genia Willett, Dr. Z. and also our thanks go out to Lee & Karen Roesner at Paradigm Graphic Design in Northbrook, Il, and Dave Giddens & the team at Heritage Quality Printing in Brookfield, WI for turning out a first class magazine.
Yes, the picture on the front cover is a departure for me in that it pictures real people, the kind that help make this hobby and our Club what it is today. Of course there’s also about a hundred banks on the shelf behind them and we thought you might find it of interest to see a whole batch of banks ready for delivery to customers.
Charlie and Judy opened up their house for conventioneers to visit and you can read all about the annual convention in Convention Reflections starting on page 8. We have a lot of information and pictures related to this past June’s convention, as I know there are many of you that would have enjoyed the pleasure of being there. The traveling Collections was a real treat to see and thanks to Frank Kidd and me, we’ve got a slew of pictures on hand (600 +) some of which are in this issue and others that I hope to publish in future.
Please keep in mind that our, “Do You Know Me” pictures/articles beg your involvement. If you have any familiarity with any bank or alleged bank featured, your response will form part of the SBCCA’s official record by way of inclusion in the Post so your input is invited and appreciated whether it be answers or more questions.
Subsequent to our Annual Board meeting, a motion was circulated to the members of the Board as follows: “The SBCCA should accept online dues payments through a PayPal account. A “Pay Dues Now” button attached to our online membership application will allow for instant processing of new members. The results are 10 Yes, 2 No and 1 abstention. Visit our web site at www.stillbankclub.com
Please accept my sincere thanks for your submissions to the Penny Bank Post, your feedback, and I hope that you’ll keep those cards and letters coming.
Send your contributions to:
Tony Neilson
18 – 15th. STREET, Roxboro, QC, H8Y 1N5, Canada
E-mail to lynntony@videotron.ca
The Penny Bank Post is published by the SBCCA three times per year for distribution to the members. All rights reserved.
The Post - Classified Advertising
Cast iron building banks, safes, figural, tin and pottery banks. Visit our web site at www.marklynantiques. com for photos and information. We also have additional banks for sale not on our web Mark Suozzi marklyn@valinet.com
New - Original Still Banks in Limited Editions. SBCCA Convention Banks, and others see my web site at www. reynoldstoys.com
Thanks, Charlie Reynolds reynoldstoys@erols.com
For Sale. Penny Banks & Related Wanted
Wanted Building Banks, early English copper series, coronation M1319 or “our empire” M1321, banks by Harper. Buy, sell or trade. Visit my web to view others. www.deantiques.com
Greg Dean marlin10@comcast.net
Wanted: Hubley Mascot, painted buildings (including Palace), Mechanical banks, wooden bank boxes, bank pictures and advertising. Individual items or whole collections will be considered. “Condition is more important than the price” Bob Brady bobbra@comcast.net
Wanted: Banks with Working Clocks in them. The clock does not necessarily need to still work. Please contact me if you have any for sale. Thanks, Dan Collins Dan Collins nu2u@adelphia.net
Banthrico Building Book 2004 Edition. The most comprehensive, up-todate book available. Purchase with or without CD or CD without the book. $22.95 w/ CD, $18.95 no CD, or $9.95 CD only. Postage ($4.00 priority) and applicable tax for WA state residents. Lance G. Oldham 1533 N.E. Tagholm Rd. Poulsbo,WA 98370-8014 klg97@tscnet.com
Coin Banks by Banthrico
• Hardcover in full color by Schiffer Publishing Co.
• 15 chapters, 256 pages
• 900 different banks
• 1135 pictures
• price & rarity guide, index
• 500 transportation and architectural banks
• Special Price $40 + $5 SH
Personalized & autographed by Jim Redwine 6940 Lake Valley Dr. Florissant, MO 63033 Tel # 314-741-6940
Penny Banks & Related
Wanted: Rehberger building banks in excellent condition. Also interested in building shaped banks made by Art Metal Works. Please e-mail with description and price. Thanks!
Gordon Steimle Steim98@aol.com
Seeking the rare building banks, especially multi-colored buildings, State Banks and unusual variations. Also have banks for sale or trade. Please e-mail or call Tom Kellogg Ironbanks@aol.com
Wanted. Still banks with baseball themes, (players, balls, etc.) pre WWII. Condition matters but no reasonable offer will be ignored. Barry I. Deutsch barryid@pobox.com
Wanted - Chein Banks. Particular ones with advertising on them. Also I am looking for a Snub Nose Shell, Epiphany Pence Barrel, Save & See 1939 W.F. globe. Ted Targosz Teds_toys@hotmail.com
Wanted- Any Glass Bank not in the Glass Bank Book. Also, Any banks made of - All Leather Charlie Reynolds reynoldstoys@ erols.com
Wanted
Pevely “Moo Moo” Bank & "Bill Opossum Prosperity Bank" (a bisque bank). Please contact Nancy McGrath im4truman@charter.net Or call 314-644-5488.
SBCCA Banks For Sale 1978 Pig, 1979 Suitcase, 1980 Green Frog, Flags Bank, with info, Club Rocking Horse serial #73, & also a Smile and Save Richard Brizendine, 940-668-6614 or
President’s Message...
Harold Blau
I cannot understand the “closet collector”. He is the one that collects banks but doesn’t want anyone to know about his interest. While we may understand his obsession to accumulate precious objects, we do not agree with his need to maintain secrecy about his collection. There are many like him out there who will never join the SBCCA. Consequently, these individuals will never benefit from the friendship and knowledge that is gained by association. When I first joined the club 20 years ago, an older, more experienced collector opined that you could never make friends here, because the competition for banks was so intense that it only allowed a perfunctory social pleasantness. Fortunately, I have found that this is decidedly NOT the case. Not only are wonderful friendships possible, but the sharing of experiences and knowledge make the pursuit of these beloved objects much more enjoyable. Friends can help us avoid costly mistakes. They can point out defects in a bank we may not have noticed. Indeed, the classic complaint is that we are all in pursuit of an item that is relatively new to us. Consequently, we do not know what the weak points are, what the color should be, the acceptable variations, and whether there are any missing parts. In this connection, we could point out the many, many misrepresentations, intentional or not, which are found on Ebay. These include reproductions that are touted as original, color “variations” that are totally unknown and that are really old repaints, and banks that have missing parts, hidden defects and obvious damage. The uninitiated often believe the written description, and we have witnessed intense bidding for banks that are simply junk. What is the antidote we can utilize against the misrepresentation of age, provenance, condition or rarity of an item? Knowledge and experience, or the helpful instruction of friends at the SBCCA will provide the antidote.
Collectors are lost to the hobby when they discover that their own zealousness exceeded their information, and they were taken in by seller’s claims. Useful seminars at our annual club conventions as well as our wonderful series of bank publications based upon years of cumulative research stand as important benefits of membership. They help us answer the haunting question: What are we really collecting? I will leave the “why” of collecting for another time. For the dedicated within our ranks, a simple message: as you go about your routine and encounter other collectors or dealers, encourage them to join the SBCCA. If you see new members who may benefit from your experience, please do not hesitate to share with them and counsel them in their purchases. The result will be a stronger, better, more satisfying club.
Our SBCCA 2004 convention was one of the most memorable since the activities, both inside and out were wonderful. In addition to the excitement of seeing friends once again, the sightseeing of our nation’s Capitol was thrilling. Many of the conventioneers went to the new WWII Memorial, and in addition, saw the Smithsonian Institute. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is always interesting as those on the cat walk inevitably call for free samples, as those hundred dollar bills are printed in huge uncut sheets below. The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial as well as the Capitol and the White House made up the background to several fascinating art exhibits.
Many people elected to spend the day at Mount Vernon, which was the subject of our convention bank made in ceramic by Ulrike’s firm TresorVerlag. We are not aware of the existence of a Mount Vernon bank, and this little limited edition, with all of its wonderful detail could become a very special collectible for souvenir building collectors as well as bank collectors of the future.
President’s Message... (continued)
For early birds with sufficient time a stroll through the quaint and colorful Old City of Alexandria rewarded their efforts with a variety of charming antique shops, and gourmet restaurants. The pier offered an excellent opportunity for photographs against the pale blue sky, with replica paddle wheelers at the dock. Musicians and artists added to the delight of the experience. Our auction was most interesting and many banks changed hands. One bank hotly contested was a painted bisque polychrome Chinese Man in traditional robes and hat with long pigtail down the back and wearing very delicate spectacles. This was a rare bank made in Rudoltstadt, Germany by the firm of Shafer and Vater at the
turn of the century.
The Travelers displays represented selections from many of our member’s personal collections. Thanks to Jeanie Egelhoff who worked so hard, along with others on the convention committee, attendees could see some of the finest examples of rare banks in our club. If you missed this outstanding convention, perhaps you should try to attend next year’s Lancaster Pennsylvania SBCCA Convention on June 7 to 12, 2005.
New Member Orientation
Submitted by Tony Neilson
I had been planning to attend the annual New Member Orientation for the past several years but something always prevented me from getting to the event so I was pleased to finally get there this year.
My main reason for wanting to attend was to see what the current agenda covered, find out how many were attending the talk and see if there was any interaction with the facilitator.
The room was a well-appointed lecture room with tables to write on, comfortable chairs, and an eminent speaker, Don Heim. Greg Dean, our Webmaster, was also on hand filming the event. There were over twenty members in attendance.
In my opinion, Don’s talk was very informative for new as well as older members. The subjects he touched
on focused largely on the vagaries of buying banks including such detailed topics as buying and selling at the SBCCA auction, what factors determine the value of any given bank, making purchases from other members, seeking help from some of the long time members attending the convention who have the experience and expertise to help them with their purchasing decisions, and the role of the ethics committee. Don also spoke about the SBCCA Website and the Penny Bank Post.
The interaction was excellent and Don, who is very knowledgeable in his own right, not only directed a couple questions to Greg and myself but also put up with several interruptions to add information from yours truly.
The members I spoke with considered the orientation session an excellent source of information and the SBCCA has Don to thank for getting many of our new members on a sound footing. If any of you, dear readers, have missed the session in the past, make a point of attending at your next convention as was the case with a few of the members in attendance this year.
Dr. Z’s Abode & Reliquary
Submitted by Greg Zemenick
Tom Kellogg is pictured examining a bank at Dr. Z’s abode & reliquary! Tom who is known for his outstanding eye - was very impressed with his visit and discussions regarding banks, objets d’art, and the fate of our hobby.
The Chinese Man Bank
Submitted by Harold Blau
I’ve sent in some photos of the Shafer & Vater Chinese Man Bank, which I mention in my column. It was bid up to $600 at the SBCCA Convention Auction. Ulrike Riegraf-Blank was the winning bidder.
This is a bank that I’ve had on my shelf for quite some time now. It measures three and three-quarters of an inch high and is made of painted bisque. The manufacturer was known primarily for their production of humorous whiskey flasks, as well as numerous whimsical ladies dresser-top figures, button boxes, art deco hat pin holders, and kitchen figural creamers of animals dressed in human clothing, as well as humans in funny poses.
The Chinese Man is a favorite as his long pigtail is often the handle of the pitcher/creamer. Rona collects the creamers providing they are BLUE.
Convention 2004 Auction Results
Submitted by Richard Soukup, Treasurer
This year, 204 lots were offered for sale and 102 lots (50%) were sold. This was the highest percentage of banks sold since the revised auction format was introduced five years ago. At last year’s convention auction, 181 lots were offered for sale and 75 lots (41.4%) were sold. The number of lots was up from last year and
the bidding interest by many of the newer club members was excellent. Some of the more common banks were sold at very affordable prices. The club raised $755 from the 2004 auction, including $245 in auction fees that were donated back to the club. The club also received $260 from the proceeds of the sale of the 4 pottery banks that were made by Tom Vick and banks donated by Bruce Russell and Aaron Zeamer.
Following are the auction results for the top 15 banks sold. Descriptions were those used by the consigners:
The top four banks sold were “new merchandise” which brought excellent prices. (That is, they were offered for sale for the first time at the auction.) Consigners should take note of this for future convention auctions.
Convention Recollections
Contributed by Tony Neilson
I was actually hoping that there would be a write-up of this past Junes’ SBCCA convention magically appearing in my mailbox in recent weeks. However, that has proven not to be the case. I guess that everybody thinks that someone else has been chosen to take care of the matter but that’s usually not the case so if you have the inclination in future – we’d be pleased to have you volunteer your time and thoughts on a future convention. Come to think of it, Jeanie Egelhoff would be the one most likely to prepare an article but she wouldn’t be inclined to prepare one for a convention she had such an intimate relationship with.
My recollections will not all be the same as yours but I’m writing the account so you’re stuck with mine.
The first thing that needs to be said is that Jeanie, Jim Kent and everyone else involved in preparing for, managing the day-to-day activities, and pulling off what can be considered as nothing less than a superb event is to be commended for their outstanding contribution to the overall success.
The hotel has to rate as the best we’ve stayed at for any bank convention over the years that Lynn and I have been involved in collecting, and I’m not saying that just because the room rate was so economical but because of the services available, the fact that the hotel was so well appointed, and its’ location and access to the DC area.
The hotel staff went to extremes to provide first class service. At one point, additional lighting was requested in order to illuminate a table set-up more effectively with the result that the lighting supplied by the hotel proved strong enough to melt the wallpaper glue.
Shall we speak of the room rate at $89 The rate was terrific for the area and the fact that it had been arranged to extend from Tuesday through to Monday made it particularly attractive to those of us staying outside of the convention days. To illustrate the point I’ll recount a conversation I had with Tom Hagen.
Tom drove from Ohio, and had reserved two rooms starting on the Tuesday. It should be noted that Tom usually rises with the sun so it’s no surprise that he
realized during the journey that his wife, daughter, and he could make it to the hotel on the Monday, Monday falling outside of the special room rate window. He called ahead asking if there was a room available Monday night, and whether the rate could be reduced considering he was renting two rooms from Tuesday night forward. The answer was that a room was available for the unadjustable price of $229. Taking that news under advisement, The Hagens continued on their journey, with Tom eventually deciding to call the hotel once more to see if he couldn’t find someone to give him a better break on the room rate for Monday night. The second conversation with a different individual resulted in his being informed that the hotel wasn’t flexible on the Monday rate and that he had been misinformed on the earlier quote of $229 as the correct rate was $249. Ultimately they decided to reach the hotel Monday night and pay the premium anyway but I think this story is interesting as it drives home the point that we were getting a bona-fide great deal on the room rate, and you can all thank Jeanie for her hard negotiation on this point. Most of us believe that hotels trip all over themselves to cater to small convention business such as ours – the truth of the matter has become that hotels derive an infinitesimally small proportion of their business from sources like this. We are probably
Continued from page 8 Convention Reflections
viewed more as an annoyance than as a blessing by the industry. So, hope you appreciated the benefit.
Tom Hagen conducted room sales beginning on Tuesday and running through the early hours of Sunday morning usually opening from 6:00 AM through to midnight so you could always find an open room.
Even the unfortunate soul that got tangled up in the bed sheets, fell out of bed and broke their arm was enjoying the convention.
Anybody that hasn’t been responsible for organizing a convention is unlikely to be able to appreciate the amount of effort required to pull it off, and the financial responsibility entailed in making commitments on the SBCCA’s behalf. Attractive canvas bags were provided to carry away the loot. And speaking of loot, the packages of information brochures were huge and supplied all the information anyone could ask for about the entirety of D.C. and the Alexandria area.
Jeanie has generated a major benefit for our club by compiling a Convention Guide based upon the experience of organizing this convention. It addresses all of the details involved in structuring a convention and will serve as a permanent and amendable document for use by future convention organizers. This will provide those of you that host a future convention with advance knowledge of the issues and an opportunity to avoid learning many of the lessons the hard way.
The people that manned the registration room for so many long and lonely hours deserve our thanks for their dedication to the task and for relinquishing their personal time to cater to the membership. Amongst these generous individuals and worthy of special mention was Betty Hagen who is not a bank collector herself but gave generously of her time earlier in the week when help was particularly sparse.
The two presentations Friday morning by Bob Brady (filling in for an ailing Mike Henry - we all wish him well, and Mike Holz were both informative and well attended. Of course the event ran into overtime but few people (including Mike) saw Jeanie in the back
of the room jumping up and down while tapping her wristwatch. Probably even fewer people noticed a very patient Don Duer (bless his heart) waiting by the back wall to set the room up for that evening’s auction - Don had to have lunch brought in for him. Just a few of the
little things that people do to create a successful event.
Mike Goldstein gave an informative talk on American history Saturday night including such gems as explaining the origin of the term, hooker. There are legacies and then there are legacies.
I personally dedicated what I thought was a lot of time taking photographs for use in the Post but found myself visiting far fewer rooms than planned in the process. In taking photos of the display, I used techniques I
had observed Frank Kidd employing in previous years. Frank, the quintessential photographer, was taking pictures of course but I was amazed upon opening a CD of convention photos to find well over 400 pictures. I have more to learn from
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Continued from page 9 Convention Reflections
Frank. You’ll find much of his work within the pages of this issue.
In addition to the much-coveted Chinaman bisque bank that sold at the auction, I was very surprised to note the sale of another extremely rare bank for very low money. I had purchased a beautiful example of this bank at the mega-antique show in Miami a decade ago. At the time, I showed it to several very knowledgeable collectors, none of which could recall ever having seen the bank. From the information I’ve been able to gather over the years, the bank is absent from all but a select few collections. The fact that it is such a small bank may result in its being overlooked, however, upon closer examination one finds that it was manufactured in exquisite detail. I plan to publish an article about it
soon. Until then, you’ll have to remain in suspense and hope that you weren’t one of the bidders that passed it up.
There was the matter of the, mystery of the missing
car keys, which Jeanie Egelhoff brought to our attention. She was apparently considered the prime suspect for several days until the wayward keys made a sudden and unexpected appearance. The whole matter was quietly put to rest, however, the sleuths amongst us were left wondering if Colonel Mustard, aka Larry Egelhoff, had somehow been involved.
There was also a very strange event, which took place in the buffet line involving Mr. Haley. His desire to sample the delights of the table was exceeded only by his challenge to the general physical capabilities of the plate to support all of his choices. The physics won out, as it has the inclination to do, and a portion of his dinner experimented with gravity, landing upon the carpet. In attempting to recover the moment, the rice seized the day by uniting together in a lump, thereby making it easier for John to recover from the dilemma. Ah, but pride go-ith before a fall and shortly after, while recounting and demonstrating the elements of the fateful event for Greg, the dark side of physics prevailed, bringing John to his knees yet again. His appetite was diminished but not extinguished by the experience.
The display of traveling bank collections was a brilliant choice. The incredible variety of banks on display in the hospitality suite together with the slide show provided all of us in attendance with an outstanding experience to remember. All of the collectors that contributed their banks and effort to this endeavor deserve our heartfelt thanks, as do those members that
remained on guard throughout the opening hours of the
Continued from page 10 Convention Reflections
display. One of the significant points the display drove home for me was the remarkable diversity of still banks available to bank collectors. There are specialty areas that probably don’t suit everyone’s collecting tastes but it was, nevertheless, a remarkable opportunity to review such a diversity of collecting niches, and I really
hope we make the opportunity to do this again.
The quilt that Jeanie made of the U.S.A. as the cornerstone of the convention bank display was just a super idea - see pictures in the color pages.
There was also an open house at Charlie and Judy Reynolds home, which began as one-time event held on the Thursday. Beginning as a limited event restricted by the snug confines of their abode, the popularity of the opportunity to visit the home and foundry of one of
the last Americans forging original banks quickly transformed into the hot-ticket happening of the convention with the result that it became an unprecedented four-
day home visit. Charlie and Judy are irrepressible collectors in many different and diverse areas, and visiting their home provided everyone with an unforget-
table experience. They deserve our sincere thanks for their considerable generosity.
Thanks!
Contributed by Kelsey Vick
The following is an email sent to Don Duer by Kelsey Vick-
Hey Don, Thank-you for giving me $4.00 towards (the purchase of) my bank. I bought the bank on the last day. I love that bank so much. The members are nice too. Most of the members bought jewelry. I made $10. I love the conventions. I bought four banks, an Uncle Sam, a football, a slot machine and the Dopey pin/bank. Grandpa (Tom Vick to the rest of us. Ed.) said he would buy me a 1 year membership. My favorite thing at the convention was seeing you and meeting Tom Hagen. I enjoyed talking to you. Thanks again, Kelsey.
A word from Don Duer-
I gave Kelsey $4.00 to help her buy a (slot machine) bank. Her Grandpa wanted her to earn the money, so I suggested she write me 1 page on, why she wanted to buy a bank. The following page is her letter. Thanks, Don Duer
Why I wanted to buy that bank?
I would like that bank from Tom Hagen because it is a gambling bank and it would be a nice memory of Tom and me playing with it. Another reason why I like it is it has the same colors as my little 500 hand-held game that I used to play. That bank from Tom Hagen will give lots of memories. The fifth reason is I can say I bought a bank from a member of the SBCCA Club (also known as Still Bank Collectors Club of America). Also I think it would be cool to pretend that I was gambling with my Uncle. Also I think Tom Hagen is a very nice guy. Another reason is Tom bought some of my grandpa’s pottery and Mr. Hagen bought some stuff at the auction that he probably did not even need. He probably bought them just to donate the money to the club. If I had it (the bank) my friends and I would probably win together. And it would be something different then what my grandpa Vick collects. That is why I would like it. By: Kelsey Vick
The Vick clan below. That’s Grandpa on the left.
Old Kent Bank
Traverse City, MI
By Lance G. Oldham © 2003 Poulsbo, WA
In late November, 2000, an agreement was reached to merge Old Kent Bank with Fifth Third Bank. The merger of Old Kent Bank with Fifth Third Bank was accomplished in stages, beginning in late April of 2001 and completing on August 10, 2001.
Prior to its merger with Fifth Third, Old Kent had served the financial needs of both individuals and businesses since its founding in 1853. The bank name changed through the years from “Old Kent State Bank” to the shortened version. At the time of its merger, the bank was headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Old Kent had nearly 300 full-service branching centers in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. In addition, there were seven non-banking subsidiaries, including Old Kent Mortgage Company, which was one of the top 25 lenders in the U.S. with more than 140 offices nationwide. Old Kent accomplishments included 41 consecutive years of increased earnings and dividends and was ranked #2 of 16,000 publicly-traded companies for consistent performance.
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Fifth Third traces its origins to the Bank of Ohio Valley, which opened its doors in Cincinnati in 1858. In 1863, that bank was purchased by the Third National Bank. With the turn of the century came the union of the Third National Bank and the Fifth National Bank, and eventually the organization became known as the Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Bancorp was established in 1974.
Through additional mergers and acquisitions, Fifth Third has continued to expand and build a strong regional presence within Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. In 1990, Fifth Third also initiated growth in Florida with the opening of Fifth Third Trust, NA, in Naples, Florida. Currently, Fifth Third and its affiliates have 650 banking centers, including 97 Bank Marts® located in Kroger and Finast grocery stores.
Fifth Third Bancorp currently employs more than 10,000 individuals. The bank has had more than 24 consecutive years of record earnings.
Fifth Third Bank has long been recognized as one of the most sound and profitable banks in the United States. Fifth Third has been named the #1 Bank in America by Salomon Smith Barney in the Top 50 Bank Annual for an unprecedented ninth year in a row. Additionally Euromoney Magazine said that “Fifth Third is by far the most successful bank in the U.S. as measured by profitability, shareholder value, customer contentment, staff retention, successful mergers and a host of other criteria.” Fifth Third was named #1 e-business innovator by PC Week.
The merger of Fifth Third and Old Kent expands Fifth Third’s Presence to 3rd largest bank in Michigan and 5th largest in Chicago. There are nearly 1,000 Fifth Third or Old Kent Banking Centers.
The coin bank depicts the Old Kent Bank, located in Traverse City, Michigan. The coin banks were manufactured by Valley Casting Co., Golden Valley, MN, the successor of the Banthrico Co. The coin bank is cast in white metal and has a lacquered pewter-toned finish with black antique highlighting. The trap is a plastic plug, typical of those used on all of the more recent Banthrico, Toystalgia, and Valley Casting coin banks. There is a slot in the roof of the bank for inserting money and another slot is built into the plastic trap. The inscription “Banthrico ©1974" is stamped on the metal base plate. The words, “October 1992" is stencil printed on the bottom base plate of the bank. This date is 139 years after the bank’s founding date and the coin bank may have been intended to commemorate the 140th year of operation. The coin bank measures 4f " x 3" x 4" tall. Efforts to obtain additional information about the issuing of the coin bank from Old Kent bank branch, including actual quantities produced and the recipients, were not productive since the merger had already taken place before any inquiries were made. The quantity of banks issued is unknown, but is estimated about 1,000, which equates to a “D” rarity rating, using the system that I developed in my Banthrico building bank catalog. Few of these banks have yet to reach the hands of collectors. Only two of the coin banks has been offered in eBay™ auctions prior to 2003.
The Moody and Sankey Bank: Some Mysteries Uncovered
Submitted by Fred Brandt
In his book, A Penny Saved, Don Duer refers to the Moody and Sankey Bank as " The Mysterious Bank." Primarily this is because he notes that the purpose of the bank has never been explained (although it was probably meant to be a publicity tool and fundraiser) and that the significance of the two inscriptions printed below the photographs, "HOLD THE FORT" and "NINETY AND NINE", has never been explained. Only one inscription at a time appears on a bank. My copy has "HOLD THE FORT". Now I believe I have at least found a partial answer to the second part of the mystery, i.e. the meaning and significance of the inscriptions.
Dwight L. Moody was born in 1837 in Northfield, Massachusetts. He left school at age seventeen to find work eventually becoming an ardent evangelist Sunday school teacher. He began his own Sunday school for street children, eventually enrolling 1500 pupils.
Moody was active helping Union soldiers in the Civil War and later began the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He traveled extensively preaching and con-
verting people to his beliefs. He was joined in 1871 by Ira David Sankey, a devout Christian and fine musician born in 1840. Sankey worked full time for Moody, traveling worldwide with him preaching the word.
Sankey helped popularize the use of hymns in the evangelistic services and it is these very hymns that are the key to the inscriptions. The words to "Ninety and Nine" were written by Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane in 1868 but not published until after Clephane died in 1869. The lyrics were later published in a British newspaper and Sankey, taken by the lyrics, put the newspaper article in his pocket. On that same day in 1874, at the end of a service in Edinburgh, Moody asked Sankey for a closing hymn and, using these lyrics, Sankey composed a hymn on the spot entitled "The Ninety and Nine." It was the first hymn he had ever written and was to be followed by many others.
The other inscription is also the name of a hymn composed in 1870 based on a legendary story of the Civil War. A Union Major was about to surrender his fort which was being attacked by Confederate soldiers
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The Moody and Sankey Bank
when he received a message from General Sherman saying: "Hold the Fort. I am coming. Sherman". The Major did indeed "hold the fort" and the legend eventually became a hymn and one of Moody’s favorites.
Thus, I believe the significance and history of the inscriptions can be traced. However, this raises another problem. According the Don Duer, the bank was "manufactured by Smith and Egge Company from a patent issued in 1870." Don also noted that this is the date given in the MBCA website of patents wherein the MBCA lists it as Patent #100,564 Moody & Sanky by F.W.Smith, Jr.
But Sankey writes in his autobiography that he did
not meet with Moody until 1870 and did not join up with him until the following year. Could the bank have been patented the same year as their meeting?
Also, if the hymn "NINETY AND NINE" was indeed not written by Sankey until 1874, how did the inscription come to be on the bank patented 4 years earlier? Don is correct. This is "The Mysterious Bank." Obviously, more research needs to be done in terms of dating this bank as well as discovering its use."
(The picture was scanned from the book, A Penny Saved by Don Duer.)
Banks from Down Under
Submitted
by Charlie Reynolds
Just before the Glass Bank Book went to press, I discovered the Allen' s Sweets Pig Bank on the Internet. I managed to buy the first two pig banks pictured. The second two were purchased after the book was published.
The first bank is Stow Aways Little Pig, frosted glass, (GB-203), which has a brown and orange lid that says, "Brother Can you Spare a Coin" and pictures a pig. The other Pigs have the same marked lid but are red/yellow. All of the banks pictured are five and three sixteenths inches" tall and say, “Allen' s Sweets” on the bottom in raised letters.
The second bank is Stow Aways Little Pig, clear glass, (GB-202), which has metallic Paper glasses and
labels. The front label says, " Stow-Aways Little Pig" made by A. W. Allen Ltd., Melbourne. The back label reads, “Allen's Wholesale Jelly Beans, _Ib net with a coiled snake design.
The third Pig Bank has the same metallic paper glasses but with eyes. The vest is also different with a bow tie label. His watch fob says, “Piggy Bank”. The back label is the same as the second Pig.
The fourth bank is the Allen' s Clown with a red, white and blue lid. The saying on top is the same as the Pig Banks but pictures a Clown. I am still looking for the Clown Bank with a label. I am guessing these banks were made in the 1940-50 period. All of the later Allen' s Banks are made of plastic.
Oscar The GoatMore Info
Submitted by Lloyd Martin
After reading the piece in the April Penny Bank Post regarding the Oscar bank, I decided to contribute my experience with this bank.
I have an Oscar the Goat bank complete with all pieces. I always knew this was a special bank, and I’ve had mine since the early sixties. It came to me from my grandparents’ house. Grandpa, and my GreatGrandfather before him, owned a general store in Santa Claus, Indiana from about 1909 to 1940. I don’t know if they sold furnaces or not but by the time I received this bank, it was already an old piece judging by the patina and other characteristics. At the time, I was in my twenties and had remembered the bank being around forever. It is certainly a heavy bank, but I recall it being used as a doorstop at my Grandma’s house, a use that the manufacturer could have anticipated, and therefore a reason for the added weight.
I took my "Oscar" apart for another look. It has been a long time since I did this & I realized that another point related to the weight of the bank is that only the body is two halves and hollow inside when put
together like most other animal banks. All other pieces, including the horns, front feet, rear feet, and tail are solid cast iron.
Some years ago, I showed my bank to a couple of giants in bank collecting - they did not give it much of a look. I believe that they thought the “Moore” bank was either new or a reproduction, and that mine was also one or the other. I doubt that they realized Oscar was an original bank that came in pieces.
I have every reason to believe that Oscar the Goat is a very unusual and rare piece, and it would be interesting to learn how many collectors out there have one in their collections and would be willing to say so. Any chance of a survey?
Lastly, $350 seems under-valued to me.
Do You Know Me?
Submitted by Merle J. Prins
On a recent trip to Maine I picked up the pictured bear bank with some interesting writing on it, and I’m wondering if any of the members can shed some light on the history of this bank, it’s age, etc.
Along the coin slot on top of the head are the words, “Help the Blind”. The wording around the edge of the underside of the base reads, “SOOTY by Courtesy of Harry Corbett U.P.C. Ltd Milton of Campsie”.
It is a paper composition bank with a spring-loaded trap on the bottom. It measures eleven inches high with a round base two and a half inches high by five inches in diameter.
Please accept my thanks in advance for any information you can provide on the bank. See color photo on Page 18.
Continued from page 22
Oscar The Goat
Still Bank Collectors Club of America Board of Directors Breakfast Meeting
The meeting was called to order at 7:40 a.m. Those in attendance were: Chuck Meeks, President; Harold Blau, Vice President; Dick Soukup, Treasurer; Jeanie Egelhoff, Historian; Larry Egelhoff, Membership Chairman; Tony Neilson, Penny Bank Post Editor; Greg Dean, Webmaster; Bob Brady, Past President; Board of Directors, John Bennett, Ulrike RiegrafBlank, Mike Holz and Ken Russell; Ethics Committee, Don Heim; Guests, Fred Schien and Dolli Kettron; and Genia Willett, Acting Secretary.
Secretary's Report: The minutes of the 2003 Board of Directors Meeting were approved as submitted. The minutes of the 2004 General Meeting will be published in the September Penny Bank Post. Treasurer's Report: Dick Soukup reported that the SBCCA is in a sound fiscal position. He passed out the 2004 budget which shows extra monies, but these are to be used for expenses for the Club's future book projects. The completion date is still a couple of years away. Dick announced that the 2004 budget will be published in the September 2004 Penny Bank Post.
Penny Bank Post: Tony Neilson said that he appreciated all the contributions that he's received from the Board and general members. Chuck said that he felt that the color pages have added a lot of improvement as has the heavier paper-stock cover.
Web Page: Greg Dean, Webmaster, has made a CD from last year's web page for the historian. He also handed out a chart showing "action" on
SBCCA's web page. Chuck thanked both Greg and Bob Brady for all the work they have done to develop such an outstanding web page. The address is www.stillbankclub.com Greg said that the members' section has about 33,000 hits a month. Discussion was held about needing more memory. It was decided to consider buying another 100 megs which would cost about $100.
Larry and Jeanie were positive about the help that the web page has been in both helping new people find out about the Club and also in passing information along to the current members.
It was suggested that the club directory be printed in the section for members only, but it was decided not to do so at this time. However, during the year Officers and Board Directors should make an effort to "canvas" members informally to find out how the general membership feels about listing addresses and emails on the web. However, it was decided to list new members' names and perhaps their telephone numbers in the member section so that anyone in the new people's area might be able to contact them, welcome them and answer any questions they might have.
A few people didn't realize that the Club has a web page. Greg graciously agreed to give a seminar on Friday afternoon to teach people how to find and use the information that is available.
Discussion was held about indexing the PBP issues on the web. This would take a considerable amount of memory. The Board will explore the possibility and resume discussion on this topic at the 2005 Board meeting.
Membership: Larry Egelhoff distributed a map showing the locations of members both inside and outside the US. As of May 30, 2004 the membership stands at 457.
It was suggested that Don Heim create a questionnaire to be filled out by new members and first time attendees to get their impression of the Convention and the SBCCA club. Don requested any ideas for questions that the Board might have.
Harold Blau suggested starting a mentor/buddy system for new members. It was also suggested that new members be listed in the PBP.
Bob Brady said the web is the life blood of the Club's future. He suggested asking the major auction houses to display SBCCA's membership applications at the auction houses and also have them insert the SBCCA's membership application in their auction brochures. In exchange our Club could furnish the Auction Houses with a list of our members. It was moved, seconded and passed that the Vice President, as a project, coordinate this effort.
Bob mentioned that the Club needed to find new people to start taking leadership roles. It was suggested that new members be asked to help on committees for the next convention rather than having the same people do the same jobs year after year. Don Heim will try to coordinate this in the new member training session.
REPORTS:
Nominating Committee: Harold Blau presented the following names for new officers: President, Harold Blau; Vice President, Mike Holz; Board of Directors, Fred Schien, Elliotte Harold and Dolli Ketron; The nominees were approved unanimously.
Historian: Jeanie passed out an inventory of items for sale. She said it had been a very slow year for sales and encouraged the Board to promote members to buy Club items. There are still many Chicago banks for sale. It was suggested that at the Convention there be a reduced price for banks which we in have
excess. New Convention banks are given only to those who pay the Convention fee.
New Member Orientation: Don said 26 people came to the orientation.
Ethics Committee: Don said there has been one complaint this year. It is currently being handled by the committee and is not far enough along to give any further information to the Board.
It was moved and seconded to reappoint Jim Yeager to the Ethics Board and also appoint Michael Goldstein as a new member to replace Matt Medeiros whose term has expired. This motion passed unanimously.
Old Business: Bob Peirce and Mike Henry are in the process of photographing banks for the Club's book projects -Painted Building Banks and Lead Banks. The books won't be available for (another) 2 to 3 years.
New Business: Tbe next Convention will be held in Lancaster, PA from June 9 to 12, 2005 with Harold Blau as chairman. The committee consists of Bob Brady, Mike Holz, Mike and Roberta Goldstein, and Don Duer heading the auction. Literature is available in the Hospitality room.
The 2006 Convention will be held in New Orleans, LA with Elliotte Harold serving as Chair. Ken Russell volunteered to have the 2007 Convention in Kansas City, MO with the Gateway Club assisting. Anita Schien will serve as Co-Chair. It was moved, seconded and passed unanimously to hold the 2007 Convention in Kansas City, MO.
Jeanie bas put together a binder on bow to host a convention to help those who will be hosting future conventions.
Two banks will be given out this year, one cast iron and, for the first time, one ceramic made by Ulrike Riegraf-Blank.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Genia Willett, Acting Secretary
Continued from page 24
SBCCA Board Minutes
