Home Safes (bank-issued still moneyboxes)
There are two forms of oval-shaped Home Safe boxes. They were issued by banks, building societies and a few utilities. However, most utilities simply used pre-payment meters — and their padlocks are another story.With the exception of the Post Office, Lewis’s Bank, (not to be confused with the John Lewis shops), and a small number of others, most have a case with a warded lock on the top.
The more complex construction has a warded lock in the outer case, which slides over a base which carries several open tubes. The outer case has a plurality of slots for different coins. This form of oval-shaped Home Safe box is stamped on the base with the Patent Number 168 828 and is dated June 11, 1921. This patent was granted to The Automatic Recording Safe Co. Ltd of London and B’ham, England —but based in Chicago. The oval safe has separate compartments with coin slots for PENNY OR HALF CROWN, SHILLING, SIX PENCE (2x slots), THREE PENCE, there is also a closed slot on the side stamped INSERT NOTES THROUGH BASE with a round hole in the base to post the notes through. Earlier versions had a side slot for notes. The top has an enamelled oval plaque riveted in place around the lock, it reads e.g. : LLOYDS BANK LIMITED with the account/safe number, e.g. NO. 34874 engraved.
These locks are warded, and there are a few patterns. It is not clear whether the variations are intentional, or result merely from several makers being used to make the great number of boxes supplied. One variation is that there are keys of different thicknesses. It is possible to make a skeleton key which will probably open all or most of these boxes. Firstly, it is necessary to have a blank thin enough to enter the thinnest trunnion. Then a slit from the tip is needed. Once the key enters the trunnion, 2 T-shaped steps are needed to operate the lock.
The other, simpler, type of oval Home Safe boxes have a door on the bottom with a lock which in many is a 3-lever lock, but in others a smaller warded lock similar to that used in most book Home Safes. Earlier versions were of heavier, stronger construction. Some have a balanced shutter mechanism to prevent extraction of coins through the coin slot if the box is inverted. The interior is a single, uncompartmentalised container. Many have a folding handle on top, earlier ones cast or stamped, later ones of wire.
Close inspection of the door on the bottom might reveal the ends of some rivets which show the small size of the lock. These locks can generally be opened by the L-shaped skeleton included in the common set of 5 or 6 skeleton keys intended for warded padlocks. This also works on most of the bank-issued book-style Home Safes.
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original PO key - for book-style home safe?
Not quite sure what sort of home safe this is intended for, it was sold separately, but looks like a book rather than a 3lever bottom door lock.
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modern metal safe moneybox
These are currently on sale everywhere in many colours. Seem to be a development of a square shaped safe which had only a comlock, and is still on sale. Today these seem to be from China.
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French safe moneybox 198-
This is substantially made, with a real wafer tumbler lock.
French 'safe-style' moneybox
No need for great excitement ... .
This is made of steel sheet just over 1mm thick, spot welded and painted. The lock is a basic 5-wafer cam lock with convenience key. (What we often called a disk tumbler lock in the past, before we met Abloy locks.) It even has a keycode stamped on the face. The pivoted back edge of the door is inside the door opening when closed, acting as a continuous dogbolt. The style resembles early-20c French safes in having a base and cap.
Many of the other toy moneyboxes are tinplate, crimped or fixed together with folded tabs. Locks are often springlatches using a standard key or a back-action lock, often with no wards.
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Barrel bank 1950, plastic
This is a sort of register bank, but the dial is manual, and only goes up to £1 — that is 240 pennies (d not p, so over 1" diameter). The box is not mine, and mine has faded somewhat, but these are better pics.
There is no lock, just a plastic plug.
Super Safe moneybox opening
If combination unknown, apply pulling pressure and turn dial left (anti-clockwise) until door gives a little; then turn right (clockwise) until it opens.
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MK Tresmer moneyboxes - just a few
The company has made over 200 designs, many in several colours, and some in several sizes, for public sale and as promotions for banks and building societies. Afaik all use the same key. However, later locks use a single plastic spring instead of a metal spring.
Here are just a few. Er ... most pics just too big.
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tinplate cash box style moneybox
This has long been a popular design for moneyboxes, copying the real thing. Some old ones were actually made as miniatures of the real thing, complete with wire edges and gold coachlines etc. Most later ones were simplified. Sadly the real lock on the oldest one here is broken.
Sharps Toffees purveyed their toffees in several versions during my childhood — one shown here.