Banks looked good, too. By 1929 the combined balance-sheets of America's 25,000 lenders stood at $60 billion. The assets they held seemed prudent: just 60% were loans, with 15% held as cash. Even the 20% made up by investment securities seemed sensible: the lion's share of holdings were bonds, with ultra-safe government bonds making up more than half. With assets of such high quality the banks all