At first Carl Barks tried different solutions to graphically show Scrooge's immense wealth as represented by his stored-up money; offices filled to the brink with money, overflowing vaults and even an open crib far out in the country. But it was when he first introduced us to the Money Bin that we really had a chance of starting to comprehend the magnitude of Scrooge's wealth. The Money Bin was first mentioned in WDCS134 'The Anti-Beagle Boys Cannon' from 1951, but it was not actually shown until in the following issue in WDCS135 'The Money Bin Freezes'. Since then Duckburg's most impressive building has taken an important part in numerous stories. Here is a small selection...

 

 

 

BIN LOCATION

  U$21 The Money Well - 1958

Synopsis:
The Beagle Boys arrange to suck the money out of the Money Bin but luckily the nephews discover an old tunnel leading from the tank to the river bank.

Comments:
Barks was not constistent when showing the Money Bin in its Duckburgian surroundings - sometimes it appear on a hill and sometimes on flat ground. The address is Killmotor Hill, and in this story we are told that it was built on the very site of old Fort Duckburg, which was a pioneer stronghold during the Indian wars.

 

BIN PROTECTION

  WDCS135 'The Money Bin Freezes' - 1951

Synopsis:
Donald and the nephews fill the Money Bin with water to prevent the Beagle Boys from digging their way in, but a drop in the temperature stops their plan cold!

Comments:
The building is very well protected as one would expect. See examples
HERE.

 

BIN CONTENTS

  U$28 The 'Paul Bunyan' Machine - 1960

Synopsis:
The Beagle Boys construct a giant chopping machine to open the Money Bin. Scrooge mails his money to the far woods but the crooks are at his heels...

Comments:
In most of the bin stories we are shown a variety of its contents:
As for rooms we have been presented to the worry room (this story), the entrance hall (WDCS135 'The Money Bin Freezes'), the kitchen (FC0291 The Magic Hourglass), the bedroom (U$44 The Invisible Intruder), the armoury (U$42 The Case of the Sticky Money) as well as numerous offices.
As for objects we have been presented to a money faucet (U$55 McDuck of Arabia), a pedestal for the Number One Dime (U$46 Lost Beneath the Sea), a Boer war cannon (U$35 Gift Lion), a money-tamping machine (U$44 The Invisible Intruder) as well as numerous artefacts.
All of the above are just examples. You can find many more scattered around in the Money Bin stories.

 

FEMALE BIN LOOTER

  U$43 For Old Dime's Sake - 1963

Synopsis:
Magica uses the forces of nature to open Scrooge's Money Bin where the lucky dime is stored...

Comments:
In this story Magica launches numerous severe attacks on the Money Bin from the outside, but she has also been inside in order to steal Scrooge's most prized possession. Besides in this story it also happened in U$36 The Midas Touch, U$38 The Unsafe Safe, and WDCS258 Ten Cent Valentine.

 

MALE BIN LOOTERS

  U$42 The Case of the Sticky Money - 1963

Synopsis:
Scrooge discovers that the Beagle Boys suddenly have money to burn. In fact, so much money that it must come from his Money Bin. But how?

Comments:
As the story title suggests Scrooge really has to solve a mystery, because his opponents are carrying out a brilliant plan, in which they are able to have small amounts of money removed over a longer period of time without actually being present at the location. This also happened in U$70 The Doom Diamond, in which trained blue jays flew off with stacks of money.
But the Beagle Boys themselves have also been 'guests' in the bin on several occasions. For that purpose various Beagle Boys have been disguised as a game-hunter, a telephone repair man, a tax inspector, and - a lion! Just to name a few...

 

'GROUNDED' BINS

  U$13 Land Beneath the Ground - 1956

Synopsis:
Scrooge digs a tunnel under his Money Bin to ensure that the ground is solid. Here he encounters Terry Fermy where the inhabitants makes earthquakes...

Comments:
One would imagine that Duckburg's most steadfast building stood immovable and secure on its ground, but this is not necessarily the case! In this story the under-earthlings make the ground almost swallow the bin in order to spit it out later, and in U$51 How Green was My Lettuce gophers undermine the bin which causes it to almost tip over.
The bottom of the bin is not necessarily secure either; in FC0367 A Christmas for Shacktown all the money fell through a crack into a bottomless pit.

 

ROUND BINS

  DBP 'The Impenetrable Money Bin' - 1958

Synopsis:
Gyro invents an unbreakable money bin for Scrooge but when Scrooge loses the combination they have to travel to the asteroids in order to obtain a metal strong enough to open the bin...

Comments:
For some reason Scrooge seemed to have liked round bins from time to time. This was also the case in FC0495 'The Money Bin Tank' and U$39 Tricky Experiment.

 

MOVING BINS

  U$15 'Moving Money' - 1956

Synopsis:
Scrooge has problems with the location of the Money Bin. It keeps getting in the way of progress, but finally he finds the solution...

Comments:
He simply travels the countryside with the building! This also happened with two of Scrooge's other bins which could be moved more easily due to the fact that they were round. The stories are FC0495 'The Money Bin Tank' and U$39 Tricky Experiment.

 

GLASS BIN

  U$38 The Unsafe Safe - 1962

Synopsis:
Scrooge's technicians have invented unbreakable glass but what can it be used for? Well, the Money Bin could be encased in it...

Comments:
After yet another attack from the Beagle Boys Scrooge decides to sheath the whole structure with the indestructible glass, whereupon it will not even be scratched by loads of T.N.T.

 

WAX BIN

  WDCS171 'Impervi-Waxing the Money Bin' - 1954

Synopsis:
Donald tries to protect Scrooge's money by confining the Money Bin in a sealing wax which makes it totally impenetrable. Now, how will Scrooge get access to the money?

Comments:
Gyro invents a special Impervi-Wax which is stronger than steel and more fireproof than stone. Some of the ingredients are: Scorched taffy, dried chewing gum, glue, gumdrops, and a baby's bib!

 

 


http://www.cbarks.dk/THEMONEYBINSTORIES.htm   Date 2007-04-16