What an odd item this is! It's a miniature teapot with mice all over it. Why anyone would want this besides a kook like me is unknown. In any case, I think it's quite adorable.

This miniature features a cash register with a working clock. The store proprietor is selling a Coca-Cola to a young girl. (ps just kidding, I know how to spell clock)

Back Side View

This extremely rare mechanical charm has a drawer that opens when you press the lever, a most unusual characteristic for such a tiny charm. I've only seen it once before and quite fell in love with the tiny heart in the drawer. Note that this photo is significantly larger than the actual item which is only about 1/2" high. Worth approximately $100.

This is a one of a kind (as far as I've seen) Chien Dime Bank in Gold. It has quite lovely tin lithography on the front and sides. I'm generally not into these type of dime banks, but this one was too unusual to pass up.

Side View

Standard Chien

This Standard Chien Dime Bank is as common as dirt and is uninspired in design. I include it here for comparison's sake. 

This adorable mouse figurine features mice hanging onto the keys and sitting top reading a book. One might almost think it was copied a bit from the Enesco Musical Mouse Cash Register. It's also a teapot which is an interesting approach with the handle made out of moneybags. Other than that there are no maker markings. 

This is a tiny 1/2' lucite cube with a wee cash register inside. It appears to be a giveaway for the 1951 NCR Open House party. Quite remarkable!

Candy Apple Red Super Speed

A mid-sized beauty for it's color and clean lines. Marx Toys, Japan.

This is also available in blue or silver versions, although these doesn't wake up my taste buds like the red one does. The photos below are just for interest, they're not part of my collection.

A beautifully detailed register with a wonderful box that reflects the design consciousness of the 1950's.

Tom Thumb cash registers are probably the most ubiquitous of all the toy registers. .I don't collect them for this reason. That said, when I found this detailed and well designed Tom Thumb, I broke down and got it. Unlike the Super Speed at left, the box is an example of dull and inspired design, although it does have an interesting way of being folded together as you can see on the top.

Scrollwork on top

Interesting drawer design

so so box design

Unusual Box

This design is almost identical to the 1976 Buddy L register although I don't know which came first. Just compare the two and you'll see that this design is far superior artistically.

Buddy L 1976 Inferior Version

The front of this register is near transparent so you can watch the cool little gears go round and round. The crank on the right winds it up. Totally unique!

Dac 1971 Coin Changer

This item is not only a one of a kind find in excellent condition, but it is completely unique in that it is designed to be a "Coin Changer," a kind of early cash register and change maker, not unlike what you might find today in a Laundromat.

What exactly is a "coin changer?" Early coin changers of the 1950’s returned either five nickels or two dimes and a nickel for a quarter with later advances allowing them to change a fifty cent piece. These were popular changers since vending machines could not yet accept such large coins. 1964 brought the introduction of accepting $1.00 bills in their U.S. change machines; quite revolutionary for the times. It wasn't until 1978 that $5.00 bills were accepted.

Read more about Coin Changers

This is one mysterious item! I read in the eBay description that the plastic it's made of is "Bakelite" although I'm not sure if that's true. There are six slots for coin, and as you can see in the back there are also six lockable bins. They key works like an old fashioned skate key and locks each bin individually. 

The question then is, what on earth was this used for? Why six slots? It doesn't correspond with coin amounts or days of the week and there are no indications on the bank itself. This doesn't look much like a children's toy so really, I'm stumped!

Rear view showing lockable slots

British Toy Town, Circa Early 1900's

This is a one of a kind British Toy Town toy cash register from the early 1900’s. Notice the beautiful tin lithography on all sides, as well as the hand painted brush strokes. This is one of very few  toy cash registers I have that is made in, and designed for children in another country. Quite remarkable considering that nearly 100% of toys are made for the American market.

It includes the original 10 shilling and 20 shilling/1 pound notes in the drawer which opens manually. The 20 shilling note features “Titania” the Queen of Fairyland, a mythical figure from the middle ages and a character from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Early Donald Duck Counting Bank by Marx Toys

This is an extremely rare Disney themed bank which is an unusually small 4" for a counting bank. What gives me that little shiver is the absolutely beautiful tin lithography featuring Donald, Mickey and more. Jason from the Official Marx Museum estimated it to be made between 1945 and 1955. Value about $200. Marx Toys. 

Side 1

Back Side

Side 3

Top View

The Official Marx Toy Museum

Virtual Marx Museum

.
Vintage Coin Counting Bank

This coin counting bank features beautiful tin lithography on all four sides and a dog on the front. Made in Japan.

This amazing little calendar bank was patented on October 26, 1920. The most unusual aspect is the Conscience Fund. "Conscience money" is money paid in compensation or atonement, as for a dishonest or morally objectionable act.. Such money paid into the United States treasury by unknown debtors was called the Conscience Fund. (from Dictionary.com)  

Put ten cents in to advance the day, five cents to advance the 1st, 10th, 20th or 30th of the month, and twenty-five cents for changing the month. Key shown in front of photo opens coin holder.

Made by the Speer-Rose felt Calendar Bank Co. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the West Allis State Bank National, at 53rd Street which is still in business in Milwaukee. I got it for a steal: $11, but based on its provenance it's actually worth significantly more, well over $100 I'd guess.

This unusual items is made by Regency Fine Arts in the United Kingdom, and is identical to the Piggies go Shopping to the right, except that it's babies instead of Piggies. Go figure! Either way, they are surely the oddest of the odd. .

A good friend of mine collects pigs, and we often admire each other's collections so this one was a thrill to find. The three little pigs featured here have charming smiles and are playing with coins featuring the Queen of England. It's called "Cashing Up" by Regency Fine Arts in the United Kingdom.

Check out this side view for the adorable piggy just hanging onto the crank.

It's Stuffed & Squeezy!

This is the one and only stuffed cash register I own. It's made from that spongy material that is now used for mattresses, so it holds the form for a few seconds. Made by Shaper, with a little caterpillar drawing. Circa 1980's.

This is a squeezy toy which makes that squeak when you give it a squeeze. It's probably a dog toy rather than a baby toy because it's too big for a baby to hold. I first saw this item on eBay in 2000 but I wasn't paying attention and lost the bid. It's such a bizarre item that I figured I'd never see it again, and I regretted the loss greatly. I was thrilled to find it again in 2003 and snapped it up for $7. I would have paid far more! Made in 1962.

Pop Up

This register is particularly cool because the 70's looking font on the front. When you press a button, the little card moves upward until your purchase is complete. This design is unique to this register. Tomy, 1994, Made in Hong Kong.

AC/DC Moneytalks Counter Display

Moneytalks was an AC/DC compact disk single that came out on the Atlantic label in May of 1993. This item was a counter display designed to market the CD. It's made of cardboard and is extremely rare, especially in this near mint condition with instructions included. I particularly like the AC/DC name up on the register tabs. I also have a promotional poster for this item, but it's too big to be scanned.

Back View

Side View

Original instructions for putting it together

Moneytalks (lyrics)

Tailored suits, chauffeured cars. Fine hotels and big cigars
Up for grabs, up for a price
Where the red hot girls keep on dancing through the night
The claim is on you .The sights are on me. So what do you do
That's guaranteed
Hey little girl, you want it all
The furs, the diamonds, the paintings on the wall

Come on, come on, love me for the money
Come on, come on, listen to the moneytalk

A French maid, foreign chef.A big house with a king size bed
You've had enough, you ship them out.
The dollar's up - down, you'd better buy the pound
The claim is on you the sights are on me  so what do you do
That's guaranteed . Hey little girl, you break the laws
You hustle, you deal, you steal from us all

Come on, come on, loving for the money
Come on, come on, listen to the moneytalk

Money talks, B.S. walks
Money talks, come on, come on

Come on, come on, love me for the money
Come on, come on, listen to the moneytalk