Bidspirit auction | Astro Mfg Berzac Airlines Rocket

Astro Mfg Berzac Airlines Rocket Bank - 11 inches. This is a mid-century mechanical coin bank manufactured by the Astro Manufacturing Company of Detroit, Michigan. Designed by John Berzac and introduced circa 1957, the bank is constructed of die-cast metal and modeled as a stylized rocket ship standing on four integrated fins. The fuselage features a red logo depicting the historical double-A chevron for American Airlines. The bank operates via a spring-loaded plunger mechanism mounted to the side of the body; a coin is placed on the launcher shelf and propelled into a horizontal slot at the base of the nose cone by pressing the red firing button. Embossed text on the fins reads: ASTRO MFG. CO., DETROIT - U.S.A., U.S. PAT. NO. 2,828,908, RD. 1957 - A BERZAC CREATION, and CAN. PAT. 1958 - 22482.