SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                   FORM 8 - K
                                 CURRENT REPORT


     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                        Date of Report - October 4, 1996



                            COLLECTIVE BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Delaware                      0-17515                 22-2942769
     (State or other                (Commission             (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of incorporation)       File Number)            Identification No.)


              716 West White Horse Pike, Cologne, New Jersey 08213
               (Address of principal executive offices, zip code)


                                  609-625-1110
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)











<PAGE>

Items 1, 3 - 6, 8 Omitted

Item 2, Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

        The  attached  press  release  (Exhibit  99)  issued  by  Collective
        Bancorp,  Inc.,  contains all relevant  information  concerning  the
        acquisition of all the assets of Continental Bancorporation.


Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
        (a) and (b) Omitted because of the absence of the conditions under
            which they would be required
        (c) Exhibits
            (99)  Collective Bancorp, Inc. press release
                   dated October 1, 1996




                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.


                                               Collective Bancorp, Inc.
                                               ------------------------
                                                      (Registrant)


Date:  October 4, 1996                         EDWARD J. McCOLGAN
                                               ------------------
                                               Edward J. McColgan
                                                  Vice Chairman




                                       2
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "COLLECTIVE BANCORP INC", "cik": "0000835345", "assigned-sic": "6035", "irs-number": "222942769", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-17515", "film-number": "96639257"}, "business-address": {"street1": "158 PHILADELPHIA AVE", "city": "EGG HARBOR CITY", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08215", "phone": "6096251110"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "C/O BERNARD BERKMAN 158 PHILADELPHIA AVE", "street2": "PO BOX 316", "city": "EGG HARBOR CITY", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08215"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 8 - K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                        Date of Report - October 4, 1996

                            COLLECTIVE BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware                      0-17515                 22-2942769
     (State or other                (Commission             (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of incorporation)       File Number)            Identification No.)

              716 West White Horse Pike, Cologne, New Jersey 08213
               (Address of principal executive offices, zip code)

                                  609-625-1110
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Items 1, 3 - 6, 8 Omitted

Item 2, Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

        The  attached  press  release  (Exhibit  99)  issued  by  Collective
        Bancorp,  Inc.,  contains all relevant  information  concerning  the
        acquisition of all the assets of Continental Bancorporation.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
        (a) and (b) Omitted because of the absence of the conditions under
            which they would be required
        (c) Exhibits
            (99)  Collective Bancorp, Inc. press release
                   dated October 1, 1996

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                               Collective Bancorp, Inc.
                                               ------------------------
                                                      (Registrant)

Date:  October 4, 1996                         EDWARD J. McCOLGAN
                                               ------------------
                                               Edward J. McColgan
                                                  Vice Chairman

                                       2