VB ID: VB-TX-LTH-1915-01

Item: Leather Bank Coin Purse with Metal Clasp
Bank: Itasca National Bank
City/State: Itasca, Texas
Approx. Era: 1910s–1920s
Material: Thick tanned leather with metal frame clasp
Color: Deep aged brown (darkened from use and oxidation)
Markings:

• ITASCA NATIONAL BANK/ ITASCA, TEXAS (Stamped in early block-ink typography)

Construction Details:

• Double-panel leather body, heavily patinated

• Metal purse frame with dual-knob clasp

• Interior shows original rough-side leather lining

• Machine-stitching around perimeter

Dimensions: 3 3/4″ wide by 3 1/2 tall

Category: Early Bank Bags → Texas Banks
Condition: Heavily circulated with metal oxidation, leather wear, and period-correct surface cracking
Internal Notes: This is one of the earliest Texas bank-issued clasp purses known. Rare survival due to fragile materials.

Historical Background

This early leather clasp purse was issued by Itasca National Bank of Itasca, Texas, a small but historically significant rural bank serving Hill County during the early 20th century. Leather clasp purses were common between 1900 and the mid-1920s, before the banking industry transitioned to canvas drawstring bags and later to standardized printed cloth currency sacks.

The construction features a metal snap-clasp frame, natural brown leather, and block-style bank stamp, firmly place this example in the 1910-1925 banking supply era, when local banks often ordered coin purses from regional saddleries or small leather goods manufacturers. These compact pouches were used primarily for loose coin handling, especially silver half-dollars, quarters, and smaller denominations that were in heavy circulation at the time.

Itasca, located along key railroad routes, supported agricultural trade and cotton farming—industries that relied heavily on cash payments and required banks to maintain steady coin reserves. Lightweight clasp purses like this allowed tellers to distribute coin change, prepare merchant tills, and support daily counter operations.

Surviving examples from Texas are extremely scarce due to the natural deterioration of early leather, metal corrosion, and the disposable nature of bank-issued purses. The deeply worn patina, softened edges, and oxidized clasp of this piece all signal extensive period use—exactly the qualities that collectors prize in early banking artifacts.

This Itasca National Bank purse is a prime example of pre-FDIC, pre-canvas banking equipment, representing the earliest phase of American retail banking tools.