<PAGE>
                       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 (Date of earliest event reported):     September 6, 1999



                              AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)




         Florida                      0-27474                  65-0624640
(State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
        Incorporation)                                    Identification Number)




   4502 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida                       34210-2801
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                        (Zip Code)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (941) 795-3050
<PAGE>

Item 5.  Other Events.

         American  Bancshares,  Inc., a Florida corporation  ("ABI"),  Gold Banc
Corporation, Inc., a Kansas corporation ("Gold Banc"), and Gold Banc Acquisition
Corporation  XI,  Inc.,  a  Kansas  corporation  which  will  be a  wholly-owned
subsidiary  of  Gold  Banc  ("Acquisition  Subsidiary"),  have  entered  into an
Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization  dated  September  6, 1999  (the  "Merger
Agreement")  pursuant to which,  among other  things ABI will be merged with and
into  Acquisition  Subsidiary,  with  Acquisition  Subsidiary  as the  surviving
corporation (the "Merger"). A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached hereto as
Exhibit  2.1  and  is  incorporated  herein  by  reference.  The  press  release
describing the proposed Merger is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

         Gold Banc is a Kansas-based  bank holding company  registered under the
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, with total assets of approximately
$1.2  billion.  ABI and its  subsidiaries,  including  American  Bank, a Florida
banking  corporation (the "Bank"),  have total assets on a consolidated basis of
approximately  $484.8  million.  Pursuant to the terms of the Merger  Agreement,
each ABI common share,  $1.175 par value per share ("ABI Common Shares"),  other
than  certain  shares  owned  by  Gold  Banc  or its  subsidiaries,  issued  and
outstanding  immediately  prior to  Effective  Time (as  defined  in the  Merger
Agreement) of the Merger will be converted  into and exchanged for the number of
shares (the  "Exchange  Ratio") of Gold Banc common  stock,  $1.00 par value per
share ("Gold Banc Common  Stock")  determined by dividing  $18.18 by the Average
Gold Banc Stock Price (as defined  herein).  The Exchange  Ratio floats based on
the  average  closing  sales price for Gold Banc  Common  Stock  reported on the
Nasdaq  National  Market System  during the ten day trading  period ending three
trading days prior to the Determination  Date ("Average Gold Banc Stock Price").
The  Determination  Date is the date on which the last  regulatory  approval  or
shareholder  approval is received,  whichever is later.  No fractional Gold Banc
Common Stock will be issued in the Merger,  and ABI  shareholders  who otherwise
would be entitled to receive a  fractional  share of Gold Banc Common Stock will
receive a cash  payment in lieu  thereof.  Outstanding  options to purchase  ABI
Common Shares will be converted  into options to purchase Gold Banc Common Stock
at the same Exchange Ratio.

         Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if the Average Gold Banc Stock Price
is greater than $13.75 on the  Determination  Date, then the Exchange Ratio will
be $18.18  divided by $13.75,  and (ii) if the Average  Gold Banc Stock Price is
less than $11.00 on the  Determination  Date,  then the  Exchange  Ratio will be
$18.18 divided by $11.00.

         The  Merger  is  intended  to be a  tax-free  reorganization  under the
Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended,  and to be accounted  for under the
pooling of interests method.

         Consummation  of the  Merger  is  subject  to a number  of  conditions,
including,  among  others,  the  following:  (i)  receipt of the  approval  of a
majority of the  outstanding  ABI Common  Shares,  (ii) receipt of all requisite
governmental  and  regulatory  approvals  (including  approval  of the  Board of
Governors  of the Federal  Reserve  System),  (iii) ABI's  receipt of a fairness
opinion  from its  investment  banker  within five (5) days from the date of its
proxy statement,  (iv) effectiveness of a registration  statement to be filed by
Gold Banc with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  with respect to the Gold
Banc Common Stock to be issued in the Merger,  (v) receipt of a letter from Gold
Banc's independent public accountants that the Merger will be accounted for as a
pooling of interests transaction, (vi) receipt of a favorable opinion of counsel
with respect to the tax-free nature of certain aspects of the Merger,  and (vii)
the satisfaction of certain other closing  conditions  customary in transactions
of this  nature.  The  Merger  Agreement  provides  that the  existing  Board of
Directors of the Bank will, after consummation of the Merger,  continue to serve
as members of the Bank's Board of Directors until the next annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Bank, or until their successors shall have been duly elected
as provided in the Bank's Bylaws. The Merger Agreement is subject to termination
under certain  circumstances,  including the failure to consummate the Merger by
March 31,  2000.  In  addition,  if the  Average  Gold Banc  Stock  Price on the
Determination  Date is less than $10.00 or if ABI,  the Bank or Freedom  Finance
Company,  a Florida  corporation  and  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of ABI, fail to
achieve any of the financial  measures set forth in the Merger  Agreement,  then
Gold Banc and ABI must attempt to negotiate in good faith a mutually  acceptable
revised  Exchange Ratio. If the parties are unable to do so, then ABI shall have
the right to terminate the Merger Agreement in the case of the Average Gold Banc
Stock  Price  being  less than  $10.00,  and Gold Banc  shall  have the right to
terminate  the Merger  Agreement in the event ABI and its  subsidiaries  fail to
meet the financial measures set forth in the Merger Agreement.
<PAGE>

         Concurrently with the execution of the Merger  Agreement,  on September
6, 1999, Gold Banc and all of the directors of ABI executed a Voting  Agreement,
pursuant to which each  director  of ABI agreed to vote their ABI Common  Shares
now  owned  or  thereafter  acquired  (i) in  favor of the  Merger,  the  Merger
Agreement and the transactions  contemplated by the Merger, and (ii) against any
competing  Acquisition  Proposal  (as defined in the Merger  Agreement),  or any
other  action  or  agreement  which  would  result  in a  breach  by  ABI of any
representation,  warranty,  or covenant in the Merger Agreement or result in ABI
being unable to fulfill any of its  conditions or  obligations  under the Merger
Agreement.  The  Voting  Agreement  terminates  upon  the  earlier  of:  (i) the
Effective Time of the Merger,  or (ii)  termination of the Merger  Agreement.  A
copy  of  the  Voting  Agreement  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  10.1 and is
incorporated herein by reference.

         The foregoing  summary of the contents of the Merger  Agreement and the
Voting  Agreement  is  qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit 2.1 and
Exhibit 10.1, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

         On September 7, 1999,  ABI announced  the  execution of the  definitive
Merger  Agreement  with Gold Banc and  Acquisition  Subsidiary,  and its general
terms.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)      Not Applicable

(b)      Not Applicable

(c)      Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

Exhibit No.                Description

   2.1            Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated September 6, 1999,
                  by  and  among  Gold  Banc   Corporation,   Inc.,   Gold  Banc
                  Acquisition  Corporation  XI, Inc.,  and American  Bancshares,
                  Inc.

   10.1           Voting  Agreement,  dated September 6, 1999, by and among Gold
                  Banc  Corporation, Inc. and the directors of American
                  Bancshares, Inc., as individuals.

   99.1           Press Release, issued September 7, 1999, regarding the Merger.

                                    SIGNATURE

         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.

                                           AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.

Date:  September 21, 1999                  By:  /s/Jerry L. Neff
                                           Jerry L. Neff
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer



<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No.     Description


2.1             Agreement and Plan of  Reorganization, dated September 6, 1999,
                by and among Gold Banc Corporation, Inc., Gold  Banc Acquisition
                Corporation  XI,  Inc.,  and  American  Bancshares, Inc.

10.1             Voting  Agreement,  dated  September 6, 1999,  by and
                 among Gold Banc  Corporation,  Inc. and the directors
                 of American Bancshares, Inc., as individuals.

99.1             Press Release, issued September 7, 1999, regarding the Merger.
<PAGE>
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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 (Date of earliest event reported):     September 6, 1999

                              AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

         Florida                      0-27474                  65-0624640
(State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
        Incorporation)                                    Identification Number)

   4502 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida                       34210-2801
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                        (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (941) 795-3050
Item 5.  Other Events.

         American  Bancshares,  Inc., a Florida corporation  ("ABI"),  Gold Banc
Corporation, Inc., a Kansas corporation ("Gold Banc"), and Gold Banc Acquisition
Corporation  XI,  Inc.,  a  Kansas  corporation  which  will  be a  wholly-owned
subsidiary  of  Gold  Banc  ("Acquisition  Subsidiary"),  have  entered  into an
Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization  dated  September  6, 1999  (the  "Merger
Agreement")  pursuant to which,  among other  things ABI will be merged with and
into  Acquisition  Subsidiary,  with  Acquisition  Subsidiary  as the  surviving
corporation (the "Merger"). A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached hereto as
Exhibit  2.1  and  is  incorporated  herein  by  reference.  The  press  release
describing the proposed Merger is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

         Gold Banc is a Kansas-based  bank holding company  registered under the
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, with total assets of approximately
$1.2  billion.  ABI and its  subsidiaries,  including  American  Bank, a Florida
banking  corporation (the "Bank"),  have total assets on a consolidated basis of
approximately  $484.8  million.  Pursuant to the terms of the Merger  Agreement,
each ABI common share,  $1.175 par value per share ("ABI Common Shares"),  other
than  certain  shares  owned  by  Gold  Banc  or its  subsidiaries,  issued  and
outstanding  immediately  prior to  Effective  Time (as  defined  in the  Merger
Agreement) of the Merger will be converted  into and exchanged for the number of
shares (the  "Exchange  Ratio") of Gold Banc common  stock,  $1.00 par value per
share ("Gold Banc Common  Stock")  determined by dividing  $18.18 by the Average
Gold Banc Stock Price (as defined  herein).  The Exchange  Ratio floats based on
the  average  closing  sales price for Gold Banc  Common  Stock  reported on the
Nasdaq  National  Market System  during the ten day trading  period ending three
trading days prior to the Determination  Date ("Average Gold Banc Stock Price").
The  Determination  Date is the date on which the last  regulatory  approval  or
shareholder  approval is received,  whichever is later.  No fractional Gold Banc
Common Stock will be issued in the Merger,  and ABI  shareholders  who otherwise
would be entitled to receive a  fractional  share of Gold Banc Common Stock will
receive a cash  payment in lieu  thereof.  Outstanding  options to purchase  ABI
Common Shares will be converted  into options to purchase Gold Banc Common Stock
at the same Exchange Ratio.

         Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if the Average Gold Banc Stock Price
is greater than $13.75 on the  Determination  Date, then the Exchange Ratio will
be $18.18  divided by $13.75,  and (ii) if the Average  Gold Banc Stock Price is
less than $11.00 on the  Determination  Date,  then the  Exchange  Ratio will be
$18.18 divided by $11.00.

         The  Merger  is  intended  to be a  tax-free  reorganization  under the
Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended,  and to be accounted  for under the
pooling of interests method.

         Consummation  of the  Merger  is  subject  to a number  of  conditions,
including,  among  others,  the  following:  (i)  receipt of the  approval  of a
majority of the  outstanding  ABI Common  Shares,  (ii) receipt of all requisite
governmental  and  regulatory  approvals  (including  approval  of the  Board of
Governors  of the Federal  Reserve  System),  (iii) ABI's  receipt of a fairness
opinion  from its  investment  banker  within five (5) days from the date of its
proxy statement,  (iv) effectiveness of a registration  statement to be filed by
Gold Banc with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  with respect to the Gold
Banc Common Stock to be issued in the Merger,  (v) receipt of a letter from Gold
Banc's independent public accountants that the Merger will be accounted for as a
pooling of interests transaction, (vi) receipt of a favorable opinion of counsel
with respect to the tax-free nature of certain aspects of the Merger,  and (vii)
the satisfaction of certain other closing  conditions  customary in transactions
of this  nature.  The  Merger  Agreement  provides  that the  existing  Board of
Directors of the Bank will, after consummation of the Merger,  continue to serve
as members of the Bank's Board of Directors until the next annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Bank, or until their successors shall have been duly elected
as provided in the Bank's Bylaws. The Merger Agreement is subject to termination
under certain  circumstances,  including the failure to consummate the Merger by
March 31,  2000.  In  addition,  if the  Average  Gold Banc  Stock  Price on the
Determination  Date is less than $10.00 or if ABI,  the Bank or Freedom  Finance
Company,  a Florida  corporation  and  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of ABI, fail to
achieve any of the financial  measures set forth in the Merger  Agreement,  then
Gold Banc and ABI must attempt to negotiate in good faith a mutually  acceptable
revised  Exchange Ratio. If the parties are unable to do so, then ABI shall have
the right to terminate the Merger Agreement in the case of the Average Gold Banc
Stock  Price  being  less than  $10.00,  and Gold Banc  shall  have the right to
terminate  the Merger  Agreement in the event ABI and its  subsidiaries  fail to
meet the financial measures set forth in the Merger Agreement.
Concurrently with the execution of the Merger  Agreement,  on September
6, 1999, Gold Banc and all of the directors of ABI executed a Voting  Agreement,
pursuant to which each  director  of ABI agreed to vote their ABI Common  Shares
now  owned  or  thereafter  acquired  (i) in  favor of the  Merger,  the  Merger
Agreement and the transactions  contemplated by the Merger, and (ii) against any
competing  Acquisition  Proposal  (as defined in the Merger  Agreement),  or any
other  action  or  agreement  which  would  result  in a  breach  by  ABI of any
representation,  warranty,  or covenant in the Merger Agreement or result in ABI
being unable to fulfill any of its  conditions or  obligations  under the Merger
Agreement.  The  Voting  Agreement  terminates  upon  the  earlier  of:  (i) the
Effective Time of the Merger,  or (ii)  termination of the Merger  Agreement.  A
copy  of  the  Voting  Agreement  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  10.1 and is
incorporated herein by reference.

         The foregoing  summary of the contents of the Merger  Agreement and the
Voting  Agreement  is  qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit 2.1 and
Exhibit 10.1, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

         On September 7, 1999,  ABI announced  the  execution of the  definitive
Merger  Agreement  with Gold Banc and  Acquisition  Subsidiary,  and its general
terms.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)      Not Applicable

(b)      Not Applicable

(c)      Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

Exhibit No.                Description

   2.1            Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated September 6, 1999,
                  by  and  among  Gold  Banc   Corporation,   Inc.,   Gold  Banc
                  Acquisition  Corporation  XI, Inc.,  and American  Bancshares,
                  Inc.

   10.1           Voting  Agreement,  dated September 6, 1999, by and among Gold
                  Banc  Corporation, Inc. and the directors of American
                  Bancshares, Inc., as individuals.

   99.1           Press Release, issued September 7, 1999, regarding the Merger.

                                    SIGNATURE

         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.

                                           AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.

Date:  September 21, 1999                  By:  /s/Jerry L. Neff
                                           Jerry L. Neff
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.     Description

2.1             Agreement and Plan of  Reorganization, dated September 6, 1999,
                by and among Gold Banc Corporation, Inc., Gold  Banc Acquisition
                Corporation  XI,  Inc.,  and  American  Bancshares, Inc.

10.1             Voting  Agreement,  dated  September 6, 1999,  by and
                 among Gold Banc  Corporation,  Inc. and the directors
                 of American Bancshares, Inc., as individuals.

99.1             Press Release, issued September 7, 1999, regarding the Merger.