10" Spinning Acrobat Clown On Globe Authentic Cast Iron Mechanical Bank

Our big-top clown mechanical coin bank has the most bone chilling action moves we have ever seen! The colorful clown straddles the spring-loaded globe and readies himself for a "Spin-A-Round" he shall not soon forget. When the lever is released on the ornate circular base, your coin drops into the collectible bank and the clown spins, rising on his hands and head. Originally manufactured in Detroit by JE Stevens in 1890, our mechanical replica antique coin bank is cast in foundry iron and authentically hand painted. Our Design Toscano finely detailed replica coin bank makes a clever mechanical bank gift and a charming big-top collectible. 5"Wx6"Dx10"H. 8 lbs. Design Toscano Collectors' Die-Cast Iron Mechanical Coin Banks Cast Iron banks have long been treasured collectibles, popular in Renassance Europe and even found among the tombs of ancient civilizations. In the US, mechanical banks became a household staple as 18th-century parents sought to reinforce Benjamin Franklin's aphorism: "A penny saved is a penny earned." After the Civil War, toy mechanical cast-iron models were produced en masse until about 1930. Operating with the drop of a coin or the push of a lever, these clever banks, produced in hundreds of different themes, sizes and personalities, were at once functional, decorative, and a delight to the eye. "Still banks"-so called to differentiate them from banks with mechanical parts-have also long been collectors' favorites. Because sought-after mechanical coin banks can bring more than $50K at auction, collectors have turned to fine replicas as a more affordable way to satisfy a love for these witty, novelty, cast-iron replica works. In fact, reports indicate that even replicas are growing in value! Design Toscano offers a plethora of novelty mechanical banks to launch or supplement a proud collection.