Tin 1950s Look-alike Bank from Germany

A new metal bank from Germany looks very similar to an earlier version made in the 1950s. Both the original and the new piece are a type of mechanical bank operated with a built-in hand crank. As a crank is turned on the side of a birdhouse, a bird's head appears and grasps a coin in its beak. The head returns and deposits the coin inside the birdhouse.

The major difference between the new version and the vintage bank is in the coin holder. In the original bank, the coin is supported in a semi-circular all metal holder (see illustration). In the new bank, the coin is supported by a rubber band stretched across a U-shaped piece of metal.

The new bank is also marked with the trademark LBZ which does not appear on the earlier version. Both banks are brightly painted metal. Old and new both measure about 5 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 3 3/4". The new bank was $29.95 retail from a giftware catalog.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Figs. 1-2 The coin holder of this new bank is unlike the original coin holder shown below.