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"    Long before atm machines and debit cards, many children and adults stored their coins in whimsical cast-iron mechanical banks that are now sought by collectors for their folk-art appeal. Leon Weiss, of Gemini Antiques in Bridgehampton, N.Y., shares details about these coin savers of the past.    Several American companies, such as J &amp;amp;amp; E Seamons, Kyser &amp;amp;amp; Rex, and Shepard Hardware Co., produced these sturdy cast-iron mechanical banks from 1870 until 1930.   Since producing these toys was so labor-intensive--every bank was hand painted and hand assembled--mechanical banks were priced from $1 to $3, expensive in their day.   Banks were created with at least one moving part and took the form of animals, people, transportation vehicles, and architectural icons, such as New York City&amp;#039;s Flatiron Building.   Today, banks can be found through reputable dealers who specialize in antique toys, including Gemini Antiques and Stephen Douglas. Other notable examples can be found on the Internet, and at auction houses and antiques shows.   Prices can range from $300 to about $1,200. Value is based on condition, rarity, and aesthetics.   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/shopping/antiques/a677/mechanical-banks-0306/>