The January, 1962, issue of HOBBIES marked somewhat of a milestone insofar as mechanical banks are concerned. It hardly seems possible that a few months over ten years have elapsed since the initial article on the classification of mechanical banks appeared in this magazine. In that period, including a number of special articles, 100 mechanical banks have been covered, the 100^th appearing in the January, ’62 issue.

Naturally the rarest and most desirable of mechanical banks are in this first hundred, as well as those having the greatest value. Basically this group will remain unchanged. That is to say it will have a certain permanency about it in the years to come. True there can always exist the circumstances whereby some new find or discovery may turn up, but this likelihood occurs less frequently and to a diminishing degree as the years go by. Thus, in spite of this possibility, the first one hundred mechanical banks will remain fairly much unchanged.

In the last ten years the interest in mechanical banks has grown by leaps and bounds. This increased interest has brought many new collectors into the field and today there are thousands who are collecting these interesting old toy saving devices. Along with this trend the writer’s correspondence has increased accordingly, and more and more letters are received with many types of questions concerning mechanical banks.

To aid some who have followed the articles since their inception and all those who have come into the picture since, the writer feels it would be worthwhile at this point to list the first one hundred mechanical banks and the date each appeared in HOBBIES Magazine. This will be helpful from a number of angles including the fact it will also serve as a ready reference to those who have saved the articles.

Name of Bank              Date
1951
1. Freedman’s Bank     October
2. Clown Harlequin and Columbine Bank     November
3. Merry-Go-Round Bank     December
1952
4. Shoot The Chute Bank     January
5. Mikado Bank     February
6. Germania Exchange Bank     March
7. Girl Skipping Rope Bank     April
8. Bread Winners Bank   May
9. Sportsman Bank     June
10. Giant Bank     July
11. Roller Skating Bank     August
12. Springing Cat Bank     September
13. Circus Bank     October
14. Initiating Bank First Degree     November
15. Motor Bank     December
1953
16. Professor Pug Frog’s Great Bicycle Feat     January
17. Bank Teller Bank     February
18. Old Woman In The Shoe Bank     March
19. Girl In The Victorian Chair     April
20. Jonah And The Whale (Jonah Emerges)     May
21. Dentist Bank     June
22. Red Riding Hood Bank     July
23. Milking Cow Bank     August
24. Uncle Remus Bank     October
25. Confectionery Bank     November
1954
26. U.S. and Spain Bank     January
27. Butting Ram Bank     March
28. Football Bank (Darky and Watermelon)     April
29. Bull Dog Savings Bank     May
30. North Pole Bank     July
31. Octagonal Fort Bank     August
32. Ding Dong Bell Bank     October
33. Bowling Alley Bank     November
1955
34. Patronize The Blind Man And His Dog     March
35. Hindu Bank     February
36. Chinaman In Boat Bank     May
37. American Bank     July
38. Preacher In The Pulpit Bank     August
39. Panorama Bank     September
40. Called Out Bank     October
41. Turtle Bank    November
42. Camera Bank     December
1956
43. Billy Goat Bank     January
44. Bismark Bank     March
45. Clown on Bar Bank     April
46. Baby Elephant Bank—Unlocks At X O’clock     June
47. The United States Bank     August
48. Presto Bank     September
49. Light Of Asia     October
50. Wimbledon Bank     November
51. Football Bank     December
1957
52. Automatic Coin Savings Bank     January
53. Hold The Fort Bank     March
54. Woodpecker Bank     April
55. Cupola Bank     June
56. Afghanistan Bank     August
57. John Bull’s Money Box     September
58. The Target Bank     October
59. Shoot That Hat Bank     November
1958
60. U.S. Bank     January
61. Organ Grinder and Performing Bear Bank     February
62. Picture Gallery Bank     March
63. Monkey Bank     April
64. Bow-ery Bank     May
65. Goat, Frog and Old Man Bank     June
66. Little Moe Bank     August
67. Acrobat Bank     September
68. Dog Tray Bank     October
69. Calamity Bank     November
70. Mamma Katzenjammer Bank     December
1959
71. Lion Hunter Bank     February
72. Horse Race Bank     March
73. Tank and Cannon Bank     April
74. Time Is Money Bank     May
75. Butting Buffalo Bank     July
76. Chimpanzee Bank     August
77. Perfection Registering Bank     September
78. The Winner Savings Bank     October
79. Reclining Chinaman Bank     December
1960
80. Darky Fisherman Bank     January
81. Tommy Bank     February
82. Presto Savings Bank     March
83. Little Jocko Musical Bank     April
84. Bowing Man In Cupola Bank     May
85. Bird On The Roof Bank     June
86. Squirrel and Tree Stump Bank     July
87. Safety Locomotive Bank     September
88. Peg-Leg Beggar Bank     October
89. Royal Trick Elephant Bank     November
90. Hoop-La Bank    December
1961
91. Frog On Arched Track     January
92. Atlas Bank     February
93. Giant In Tower     March
94. The Smyth X-Ray Bank     April
95. Clown Bank     May
96. Bull and Bear Bank     June
97. Snake and Frog In Pond     August
98. Monkey and Parrot Bank     November
99. Pistol Bank     December
1962
100. Jumbo Bank     January

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