🐘Vintage Cincinnati Hybrid Elephant Key🗝️ 🐘


🐘  Magnetic Elephant Keys  🐘
 
 This zoo featured the "Blanket" design and are marked "Cincinnati" on obverse and "Key Bank" (the zoo's sponsor) on the reverse. Earlier mechanical keys had a decorative blanket on top of the elephants, but that made it look more like a circus animal versus showing the elephant in its native habitat. Zoo keys eventually copied that philosophy, but this key still shows the blanket.



This key is believed to be sold at the zoo in or about 1995.  This rare key is in 100% mint condition and was NEVER used. You simply will never find a nicer condition one than this!  This zoo no longer has the Talking Storybooks.
The keys from the 1960's had a blanket on top of the elephant, but in later years, they got rid of them since it made the elephants look more like circus animals versus a smart inhabitant of the zoo.  Elephants are being removed from many zoos and relocated to sanctuaries due to their superior intelligence and for breeding purposes.  Elephant keys are going by the wayside as well.
In the 1990's, a magnetic style key was utilized by many zoos and allowed them to "rekey" every year or so which made more money for the zoo by selling new keys more frequently.
The inventor of the Zoo Key was Bruce Sedley, and he also created the magnetic stripe on credit cards and such.

This key 🗝️ is simply in the finest condition possible. They also sold mechanical elephant key variations before and after these magnetic keys. This is known as a hybrid due to the fact that it has characteristics of both designs.  The elephant design is similar, but you push to insert versus turning, in he case of the mechanical keys. 🐘.

Zoo keys were first introduced at the San Francisco Zoo in 1959/1960 and for about 50 cents, they could be purchased at the zoo's souvenir stand or gift shop.
By turning or inserting the key into a speaker box positioned in front of a particular animal enclosure, a minute or so audio narration could be heard, telling all about where that animal lived, what they eat, and other interesting educational facts about it. 

Many zoos and theme parks across the USA subscribed to the Talking StoryBook Program.  
Kids love to be the one to run up to the box and activate the narration while the adults love to treat the kids and remember when they had fun turning on the machines when they were kids. 
Some (like me) collect these keys from every zoo they can find.  In my case, I love these keys so much that I am even listed in Wikipedia as a prominent collector.
I included a picture of me with the inventor of the zoo key system, Bruce Sedley when he visited me at my locksmith shop.


I will be posting a wide assortment of keys that I acquired over the years and offer combined shipping on multiple purchases.
Having one of the world's largest collections, I can help you find that special or rare zoo key that you may have been looking for from your favorite zoo.  In the attached photo, I may have some extras of the other colors from different years, so if interested in any, please let me know.

I combine shipping if purchasing more than 1 key from me.
Please ask if you are looking for any vintage Zoo Keys or have and other questions or concerns.
 
Thank you for looking
🍀
Good Luck