The Trail of the Nickel Plated Hippo
Published in the April 2023 Penny Bank Post | Written by Brian Cleary
It is interesting, and probably important, to follow the trail of very important cast iron still banks. An example is Moore #719, the nickel plated cast iron hippo bank. There may be more than one nickel plated cast iron hippo still bank, but I am only aware of one example of this very rare and very desirable bank.
The bank collection of former SBCCA member, Dr. H. H. Sandidge, Jr. was sold on September 16, 1982, in New York City by Phillips. This auction company was not really known for selling antique cast iron banks, and as a result, a number of very desirable cast iron banks appeared to sell for less than they should have that day. One of the great still banks in that auction was Dr. Sandidge’s cast iron nickel plated hippo still bank. Andy Moore purchased this bank for a hammer price of $600 and the bank went into the outstanding Andy and Susan Moore bank collection.
I remember very well when Andy Moore decided to sell his wonderful nickel plated hippo bank at one of the convention auctions. I was the auctioneer selling the bank at the club auction. I clearly remember Dr. Bruce Russell sitting in the back row of the room to the left of the middle isle and Bob McCumber was sitting in the back row to the right of the middle isle. Dr. Russell and Bob McCumber both really wanted the hippo bank and the bidding got down to just the two of them. . .
