With a little more room in the mancave, I have been able to bring out a few more items from the bottom of a dusty box and put them on display. As I now have a dedicated 'space race' shelf, I put the two blown vinyl moneyboxes, commemorating the Mercury missions in pride of place.
Its unclear now, which US bank they were issued with, as although there is some considerable historical detail moulded into the plastic, the issuers details were applied with a transfer, which has long since rubbed away. On the copper coloured version, the word 'western' is vaguely discernable, but that's all.
There's minor differences in the copper and silver versions, so it's probable they were from different banks. Both are single piece and designed to accept small coins and to be torn open when full. Luckily, both are unscathed, apart from some scuffing on the copper version, which is to be expected with something almost sixty years old.
Both have a similar diagram and mission info on the base and the trademark 'Beacon'
Very, very nice. Spacecraft seem to have been a popular subject for money boxes in the 1960s, and several have appeared before on Moonbase, including an Astronaut figure standing on a half-moon which I have had for several decades.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ive got three or four different ones. A definite sign of the times. Its not something banks do anymore, which is a shame, but then I dont really carry currency either, its all plastic or paypal!
ReplyDeleteDid you get them from the US Wote?
ReplyDeleteYes, when it was comparatively easy to buy from the states
DeleteMercury capsule was always my favorite, very crude and "punkish." Gemini was okay, and I couldn't stand Apollo!
ReplyDeleteI was always a Vostok and Soyuz fan, a completely different and unaerodynamic take on the problem. Have to say Apollo left me a bit cold and seeing the Space Shuttle after all the projected designs, I was so underwhelmed it was unreal!
DeleteI found Apollo and the Shuttle uninspiring originally but as the years have gone by I've got more impressed by them actually. Gemini is cool though!
ReplyDelete