Mint Strato Spaceship Bank

Submitted by directorcoop September 3rd, 2012
Certifikitsch Winner

My father gave this to me when I was a kid. I still have and use it to this day. My sister, her husband, and my 5 year old nephew stopped by a couple weeks ago. My sister saw it and showed my nephew, and he loved it. She mentioned she wouldn’t mind having one for him. Yesterday I finally remembered to look online, and that is how I found this site in case anybody was wondering.

8 Responses to “Mint Strato Spaceship Bank”

  1. Allee Willis

    Beautiful bank and beautifully preserved!

    I used to have one of these and there’s a more beat up version of it already here at AWMOK (https://www.alleewillis.com/awmok/kitschenette/wp-admin/post.php?post=68621&action=edit). But always incredible to see one of these puppies in almost mint condition. It looks like the only thing that’s worn is one of the bank decals.

    Was American State Bank your family’s bank? Would would be so great if you got it as a kid because they had the great taste to choose this bank as their promo swag.

    • directorcoop

      I asked my parents today, and they said they used to have American State Bank when they lived in North Judson, IN around 1972 when they were first married…40 years ago now that I think about it. However, my dad had received this years before their marriage when he was younger. He thinks he was somewhere between 7-10 years old. (My dad was born in 1949.) My grandparents had a farm in North Judson, and the bank owners used to hunt on it. They gave my grandparents 2 of these, and they, in turn, gave one to my dad and one to my uncle Dan. I have no idea if my uncle still has his or not. On the same side as the non-worn sticker, you will see my dad scratched his last name “Cooper”on it. Also, on the same side, you will see a strange copper circle stain. Below the stain, you can see these were manufactured with raised lettering of “Strato bank” on them.

      • directorcoop

        I would agree with you. I never said it was in mint condition. I believe the word “mint” in the title was just a description of the actual bank, as everything I found online called them that, so I assumed that was because of the color of it being mint green. Maybe I’m wrong. I’m never selling it, regardless. Too much meaning for me.

  3. MacDaddyRico

    The Strato Bank was the very first model I discovered in an antique store before I began researching them…I’ve been researching, collecting, donating and writing about these intriguing mechanical toy banks for the past several years now.

    Updated Group Shot 2015 Including Peter Max And Charles Fazzino:

    MISSION: INCREDIBLE

    Mysterious vintage toy bank launches fantastic journey

    https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/171772-updated-group-shot-2015-including-peter

    Search Collections

    https://airandspace.si.edu/collections/search/Raymond%20Reines

    https://www.facebook.com/Popgrotto/posts/10206823470282026

    http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/236617/

    https://www.antiquetoyworld.com/banks/mission-incredible-space-bank-collection/