There has existed for years now, mechanical banks made in China or Taiwan that are made to look old or even stamped with the Book of Knowledge imprints.  If you know what to look for, these are easy to spot.  First, look for screws that are phillip-head screws (that's always a dead giveaway as such screws did not become widely used in products by manufacturers until the 1950s).  Second, examine the paint color.  Bright & vibrant paint colors just was not used until the 1970s and later.  Thirdly, examine the paint itself and if it actually looks like it was just painted yesterday.  Lastly, look at the quality of the paint-job itself.  Older banks and quality-made reproductions, exhibit fine detail in the way the bank was painted.  Cheap knock-offs made in China or Taiway quite often, does not exhibit this.  These counterfeits have no collector value and are similar to buying a $10 Rolex on the street..............you know that it's not really a Rolex and that you're still probably paying too much!