This exceptional collector's lot features three (3) authentic Victorian-era mechanical cylindrical pocket savings banks, each showcasing unique regional variations, mechanical registration features, and historical markings. These miniature tube banks were highly popular structural novelties in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, designed to encourage thrift by securely locking currency inside until a specific savings target was achieved.

The three pieces included in this collection are:

1. The Magic "Surplus Bank" (New York): Manufactured by the Introduction Co. of New York, this piece features an explicit patent date of March 31, 1891, on the side and a crisp "NEW MODEL 1892" stamped into the pebbled top lid. It retains beautiful remnants of its original silver/nickel flashing over solid brass.

2. The Magic Pocket Savings Bank (Sixpence - United Kingdom): A highly sought-after pre-decimal British variant stamped "SIX PENCE" on the pebbled top and "SIXPENCE ONLY" on the side. It features a vertical column of circular registration sight holes allowing the user to view the stacked coin count.

3. The Empire Pocket Savings Bank (London): Stamped "EMPIRE S 20 BANK" on the upper cap and "20s / MAGIC POCKET SAVINGS BANK LONDON" along the exterior cylinder casing.

Item Specifications

Material: Solid Brass / Mixed Copper Alloys with remnants of original Nickel/Silver plating

Origin: United States (New York) & United Kingdom (London)

Age / Era: Late Victorian (Circa 1891–1895)

Dimensions: Varying heights, approximately 1.75" to 2" tall for the tallest unit

Mechanism Type: Cylindrical mechanical coin registration / automatic locking tube

Condition Report

Surface Polish: These banks boast exceptional, dry, untouched original surfaces with a deep, historic mustard-brass and oxidized silver-tone patina. In strict alignment with advanced antiquarian curation, the original historical surfaces have not been polished or chemically altered.

Wear & Markings: All stamped text, registry marks, numbers, and corporate stamps remain crisp, highly legible, and unrubbed.

Structural Integrity: Fine antique condition. Minor age-appropriate surface pin-dents, surface scuffs, and natural plating loss are present, emphasizing their authentic late-19th-century utility.

Authenticity Assessment

Examination of the physical characteristics confirms period authenticity.

The manufacturing methods precisely mirror documented late-Victorian standards: the high-relief incised lettering reveals sharp, crisp serifs typical of late 19th-century die-stamping rather than soft modern casting replicas. The distinctive pebbling patterns on the top caps, the precision-drilled circular coin indicator sight holes, and the authentic, uneven wear on the thin micro-layered nickel flashing are key period-correct markers that cannot be cleanly replicated.

Reference

Book Title: The Penny Bank Book: Collecting Still Coin Banks

Author: Andy Moore and Susan Moore

Page / Section Reference: For reference to late-Victorian cylindrical pocket registry tubes, mechanical coin slots, and pocket-sized brass premium-safe variations of the 1890s. (Cross-reference: Period classified listings for these specific units date securely to April/May 1895).

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Item Description and Condition Disclaimer

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