1897 Gray Cast Iron Maine Battleship Bank Nr $500 For Sale

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You are offerding on a cast iron Maine Battleship bank. J & E Stevens produced these banks from 1897 through 1903. J and E Stevens of Cromwell Connecticut is the oldest toy company in America. It is synonymous with mechanical banks but it produced quite a few still banks as well. It produced banks from 1870 until the depression forced it’s closure in the early 30’s. The banks paint is in awesome shape NEAR MINT for a bank this old. The original brown lacquer Japanned paint is 98% intact, most of the gold highlights are also present. This bank is in good condition with no cracks, chips, breaks, repairs or damage of any kind unless stated. It has a crack in the deck but is in stable condition, the mast has a piece of wire around it as seen in pictures. The seams are tight, even, the pieces align well, has the original turn-pin. 4 5/8” high x 4 7/8 long. In Moore’s penny book #1440 for $300-$500 in 2008!!!

History of the Maine:

The USS MAINE was one of the first United States battleships to be constructed. The vessel's destruction in the Cuba Harbor of Havana was a catalyst in bringing war between the United States and Spain. The loss of the ship was tremendous shock to the United States since it represented virtually the state of the art of naval shipbuilding in the United States, only recently eclipsed by newer vessels. "Remember the Maine" became the battle cry of the United States Military Forces in 1898. The USS MAINE was the second "second-class battleship" constructed for the U.S. Navy. The construction of the vessel was authorized by the U.S. Congress on August 3, 1886. MAINE took nearly nine years to complete. Three years had been spent waiting for her armor plating alone.

The USS MAINE was unique at the time in that she was purely the product of American naval design, and was built at a U.S. Naval Yard. In fact, the USS MAINE is the largest vessel to be actually built in a U.S. Navy Yard.

The new battleship MAINE was a showpiece for the United States Navy and was given many ceremonial tasks. On December 15, 1897, she got underway, heading south toward Florida and her final destiny.

The USS MAINE arrived in Cuba's Havana harbor on January 24, 1898. Because of propaganda from the U.S. newspapers and the Cuban Insurgents, the situation in Cuba was not fully understood in Washington DC. In response to a small protest by Spanish officers, not affecting the United States, Washington sent the USS MAINE to Cuba on a "friendly" visit. At about 9:30 PM on February 15, the MAINE was shattered by two separate explosions and rapidly sank. Two hundred and fifty-two men were killed. Ammunition continued to explode for hours after the blast. After the disaster, U.S. newspapers were quick to place responsibility for the loss on Spain. In spite of the newspaper propaganda, an official court of inquiry was held by the U.S. Navy to determine the cause of the blasts. The Navy concluded that the ship was sunk by a mine which ignited the forward magazines, but stated that it could not fix responsibility upon any person or persons, including the government or military forces of Spain. Regardless of the reality of the situation, the loss of the USS MAINE had turned American popular opinion strongly in favor of war with Spain. Despite of his efforts to avoid war, President McKinley finally decided to militarily intervene in Cuba to end the ongoing unrest and "liberate" Cuba from Spanish rule. Later studies have indicated the possibility that the USS MAINE sunk as a result of a coal bunker fire adjacent to one of its ammunition magazines, and not a result of a Spanish mine.

The USS MAINE rested on the floor of Havana Harbor until 1911. In that year, a cofferdam was built around the wreck. The hull was patched enough to enable it to float. Based on what was found, a second inconclusive court of inquiry was held, one of many to come. The wreck was then towed out of the harbor and sunk in sea. It now lies at a depth of thirty-six hundred feet.

FYI: I always go to the USPS to mail the items so I always have a receipt/ proof that the items were mailed

I suggest to the winner to print a copy of this sale, it will increase the resale value of your purchase tremendously having this information as a hard copy along with the bank. You are paying for this information, make use of it! Plus it’s fun to look back in 20 years and say I only paid $200 for that way back when. Most of the banks today selling for $200-$400 were $15-$50 in the mid 1970’s, big money when the reference guides I have were printed.

This item has been shown 272 times. 1897 Gray Cast Iron Maine Battleship Bank Nr $500: $153