My first advice to all new collectors is to learn the market before making any major purchases. One big reason for this – common collectibles. Don’t overspend on an item that is literally in every single antique mall on the planet. One example is the Chex Snoopy Doghouse Bank.
Originally released in 1990, the Chex Snoopy Doghouse Bank was attached to the outside of Chex cereal boxes. The mass-produced bank is easy to find, but sometimes difficult to find at a reasonable price. If you find a bank in excellent condition, complete with its stopper, expect to pay up to $4. Since the bank is prone to dents, breakage, scratches, discoloration and factory defects, this is an item you can easily pass up if it’s not quite right. The bank is sometimes priced higher because of the misleading 1966 copyright date on the back. Read more about copyright dates…
One oddity of the bank is the sticker. Some have them, some don’t. I distinctly remember buying one at the grocery store that didn’t have the sticker. Since I would have started collecting Peanuts memorabilia at that point, I doubt I would have removed the sticker. I would have been about 10 at the time, so if anyone knows more of the story, please let us know!
More from Chex
Chex also released a variety of Peanuts and Chex mix themed premiums in conjunction with this bank. They include a storage tin, serving bowl, recipe book, canteen and seasoning mix. These items are harder to find since many of them were only available through mail-in offers. Expect to pay under $15 for the kitchenwares, and under $4 for the seasoning mixes. View more Chex promotional materials…
The Prototype
The only bank that might be worth more than $4 is the prototype above. Both banks appear to be made out of the same plastic and have the same exact shape. Being a prototype, there are quite a few differences between the two. The coin slot and stopper are not cut out. The entire bank is painted and there are areas where the brush strokes are visible. The paint work is a little messy, but you can tell it’s been more carefully painted to get complete coverage of the important areas such as Snoopy’s nose. Snoopy does not have his smile and his eyes are not airbrush stenciled. The grooves in Snoopy’s paws are crisper and more angular than the final product.
So, how much is the prototype worth? It’s hard to put a value on it since it’s a one of a kind and there’s nothing to compare it to. I bought it as part of a lot. It will remain a mystery until I decide to sell.
