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Lebanon is in the throes of a crippling economic crisis that has plunged three-quarters of its population into poverty and decimated the value of the Lebanese pound against the dollar by around 90 percent. Fuel subsidies once cost the cash-strapped country some $3 billion annually. Lebanon's central bank lifted its remaining subsidies on fuel on Monday, Sept 12, 2022, gas station owners said, ending a year-long process of scaling back on the expensive program. Hussein Malla/AP Show More Show Less 2 of5 An employee fuels a car at a gas station in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Sept.

Mechanical and still banks of all varietiesįinal thoughts, old cast iron toys and banks will be heavier than their newer counterparts and taking advantage of your own common sense while shopping will also serve to keep you from investing in a fake.1 of5 An employee fuels a car at a gas station in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Sept.

Use a small magnet to check the piece for hidden repairs that may be made using an epoxy or aluminum. A black light is also good in detecting repairs and repainted areas. They are invaluable for detecting new paint as it will fluoresce old paint will not. Take a portable, battery-op black light along when shopping.

Some of the more common toys and banks being reproduced are: Old cast iron toys and banks can be quite valuable – just exercise care when shopping. Old cast iron (pre-1940) should not have Phillips Head Screws.The images below give some close-ups of what to look for on an original piece. Be wary as some will soak new cast iron in chemicals to age or bury in the ground to ‘age’. Old cast iron items that have rusted tend to be dark brown/black while new cast iron will lean towards red or reddish brown. Old cast iron that is unpainted tends to be dark brown or black newer cast iron tends to be dirty silver or gray. Simulated wear will display a consistent, repeated pattern. When reviewing a painted piece look for uneven wear and random scratching. Also old paint – typically enamel or oil based – will tend to chip where as the newer acrylic paint will not. When buying cast iron banks, look for paint on both the outer and inner edges of the slot. Inspect the paint for brush marks, and look for drip deposits on underside of toy – old toys will exhibit these. Old painted cast iron was usually dipped not spray painted like new repros. Old toys were typically fitted by hand with the edges being smoothed and you are less like to see any gaps. Look for these ‘gap leaks’ to show grind marks in an effort to make the seam smooth. Old cast iron toys will have better details and cleaner edges while new fakes tend to show leakage at the seams since the new molds aren’t as well fitted as the old molds. So check the underside of any cast iron toy for these flaws. These are hard to see if the piece is painted. Repros may display bumps, holes or pits on the surface. Old cast iron toys will have a much smoother surface than it’s new fake. Add to that the fact that some of the old molds are being used to produce new-old toys, you’ve got to know what to look for.īelow are some tips to follow when shopping for cast iron toys and banks.

The digital world has made it easy to copy marks and items with paper lithos. 1930’s AC Williams Mack Cast iron Stake Truck However, if you shop with a critical eye and a bit of knowledge, you can keep from spending your hard earned dollars on a worthless modern reproduction cast iron toy or bank. Old toys seem to increase in value each year making them a prime target for those who would sell fakes and reproductions as the ‘real deal’.

Cast iron money bank