Quick story...
I was living aboard one of the coolest boats ever at the time...
I get a call from a guy who needed someone to watch his shop for a few hours...
I roll out of a bed that Marylyn Monroe had slept in over 30 years earlier...
And drag my arse to go help this guy out...
Anyway...
On the way to the guys shop I see a guy staking a sign...
I pull over and yell out "hey your sale open" ?
He says yes and points that it is down the street...
I find it and get out... I am first guy there...
I look and see an old Uncle Sam bank...
Now I knew this is the most faked bank so I ask how much...
He says that ot was his dads and he wanted 20 bucks...
So I look at it close... every detail... it looks old... and I knew that the screws are the first clue...
But I was still learning and new" to this whole antique thing... I mean this was in early 90's...
ANYway again...
So while looking I also see this "Buddha" statue... And I like it as well...
He says 20 for both...
I go to ge my wallet out... AND NO FRIGGIN WALLET !
Arrrggg...
BUT I have some stashed ones and fives etc in car...
So I bolt to the car as another guy pulls up to the sale...
I have 12 dollars ... ehhh... and some change...
I tell the guy that I forgot my wallet and would he take the 12 and change... he replies that he cannot... I ask if he will take 12 and cange just for bank...
And he wont...
I almost asked the other guy who I had never seen before if I could borrow 8 bucks.... arggg.
The guy picks up the bank...
And asks the guy...
Guy says 20...
And he sets it down...
I say... Ill be right back...
I bolt to the boat ... which is only about 5 mins away brisk...
Grab wallet and bolt back...
As soon as I pull up...
There sits the Buda where the bank was...
Later that day I went over to my old timer antiquity guys shop... which was right down the road from the other shop...
I go in and ask... hey how do you know if a mechanical back is real or not...
He says "flathead or Phillips" screws... I say flat...
He gets out his Schroder's book... (PRE INTERNET)...
Looks ... and says... hey here is a picture of that bank...
I look close... IT IS EXACT ... color... paint... screws... the works...
Then I look at the price...
over $5000... heh
Breakfast never sucked so bad.
The ole timer antiquity dealers taught me a lot when I was younger...
And this was one of my "teachings" mechanical banks.
He was a real mentor to me... and always has been... And now older than dirt... he still "kicks it man".
PS> I have bought over 10 other Uncle Sam banks over the years.
NONE real.