Why is there a piggy bank?
A popular theory is that, in fact, the original piggy bank had absolutely nothing to do with a pig! In the Middle Ages, when metal was expensive, an inexpensive, orange colored clay, called pygg, was the common media for making pots and jars, and was referred to as a pygg jar, for example. One of these jars was often used to hold coins. Eventually, the pygg jar or pygg bank used for coins, surely accidentally, became known as a pig bank or piggy bank! The general consensus is that this evolution transpired a few hundred years ago in England when crafters were hired to make pygg banks and not being familiar with pygg they made pig shaped banks.
The oldest recorded piggy bank in the shape of a pig is claimed to be 1500 years old from Indonesia. If this is so, it precedes the pygg theory by around 1000 years!
The modern piggy bank, whether made from ceramics, plastic, or metal, has been a very popular collector’s item and gift for children due to its appealing and humorous appearance. In addition to the smile or chuckle we experience each time we drop some change into our piggy bank let us be reminded by the lesson it teaches us! Piggy banks of old didn't have a plunger on the bottom so you could easily remove the coins, you would have to break the bank to get them but the famous phrase “break the bank”, has nothing to do with the piggy bank!
This is my hubby's piggy bank from when he was a little boy and it too doesn't have a plunger and there is a little coin yet in there.
This is a bank my folks had and it is not a pig but a snoopy dog.
Never had the heart to break it so it sits and collects dust.
My hubby doesn't like to carry dimes, nickle's or penny's so he puts them in this little bank
And right now it is nearly empty
because he gave it all to the granddaughter when she was here last week. She said she thought there was $20.00 and he said $24.00......he was right.
"A penny saved is a penny earned"
The oldest recorded piggy bank in the shape of a pig is claimed to be 1500 years old from Indonesia. If this is so, it precedes the pygg theory by around 1000 years!
The modern piggy bank, whether made from ceramics, plastic, or metal, has been a very popular collector’s item and gift for children due to its appealing and humorous appearance. In addition to the smile or chuckle we experience each time we drop some change into our piggy bank let us be reminded by the lesson it teaches us! Piggy banks of old didn't have a plunger on the bottom so you could easily remove the coins, you would have to break the bank to get them but the famous phrase “break the bank”, has nothing to do with the piggy bank!
This is my hubby's piggy bank from when he was a little boy and it too doesn't have a plunger and there is a little coin yet in there.
This is a bank my folks had and it is not a pig but a snoopy dog.
My hubby doesn't like to carry dimes, nickle's or penny's so he puts them in this little bank
And right now it is nearly empty
because he gave it all to the granddaughter when she was here last week. She said she thought there was $20.00 and he said $24.00......he was right.
"A penny saved is a penny earned"
5 comments:
Such interesting information!
We have a big glass jar we keep spare change in, we often count it up before vacation and have gotten as much as $250 out of it. It's a big one - and if there are quarters it adds up!
Pygg! Interesting. I have never heard of it until now.
Interesting info. I can remember having a piggy bank that you had to break to get the money out of...
this is all so interesting!!! the hubs and i collect our coins too. at the end of the day, we empty our pockets and save it in a jar. it is so funny that you posted this today, we, well the hubs, cashed our coins in yesterday and we had almost $ 200.00. we are going to save it for dinners out!!
Interesting post.
I use a large glass vase at the back of one of my kitchen cabinets to throw my loose change into at the end of the day. When there are lots of quarters, it really adds up fast.
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