Uncle Sam Cast Iron Mechanical Bank

Circa 1886: Designed by Charles Shepard and Peter Adams Jr. and manufactured by Shepard Hardware Company in Buffalo, New York, the Uncle Sam is the most beloved and patriotic mechanical bank ever produced. Uncle Sam, in his usual dress stovepipe hat, blue full length dress coat, and red and white striped trousers, leans on his sporty green umbrella and stands on a four by five inch gray base atop a golden bald eagle. On the base sits a brown carpet bag which opens when its lever is pressed as the coin placed in Uncle Sam’s extended hand drops into it. At the same time, Sam's bearded chin rocks back and forth, simulating laughter. Patented June 8, 1886, this colorful bank's clever action has delighted folks for nearly 140 years and has made the iconic Uncle Sam mechanical bank the most widely collected piece of patriotic Americana to bear our nation's stars and stripes. This example, free of chips, cracks, and repairs, has fine all original paint with especially nice pants and eyes, which make it extememely visually appealing.