CAST IRON AND METAL BANKS - Antique, Vintage, and Collectible Bank Values

CAST IRON AND METAL BANKS - Antique, Vintage, and Collectible Bank Values

Antique cast iron banks are one of the most popular of all American collectible items. Most of these banks are rare and they are in great demand by collectors. Made between the 1860s and 1930s, vintage cast iron banks can be either mechanical banks or still banks. Mechanical banks have parts that move while still banks don’t. Most of the vintage mechanical banks were made between 1928 and the start of WWII.

New collectors should use extreme caution when buying antique cast iron banks. Both still and mechanical bank reproductions abound and some are still being made. Reproductions do not have the same detail and may be slightly smaller. No paint or poor paint jobs and a lighter weight are some of the ways to spot a reproduction. New collectors should do their homework and learn how to spot reproductions. There are books and other valuable resources for this information. It should be mentioned that some of the reproductions are also collectible and worth money, but they are not as valuable as the originals.