WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — The Fall Toy Auction at RSL on October 7 featured 663 lots, including a popular selection of tin banks. Seated there was lot 582, a tiger mechanical bank made by Saalheimer & Strauss, Germany, circa 1920s, a ferocious coin swallower that is rare and desirable. It is of tin, pristine plus condition, with an estimate of $15/20,000. It received much attention, opened for $10,000, and sold for $18,000. The catalog notes “at the time there are only five extant specimens and this one is considered to be the finest quality.”

A review of the auction will be in next week’s publication.