|
There are all kinds of coin banks, from the mechanical cast-iron specimens often seen on PBS Antiques Roadshow to the sundry ceramic pieces available at almost any drug, gift, or discount store. (I collect the ones shaped like cats!) But the most popular are the Piggy Banks.
So, why a pig? There are two competing theories. One is that it is a derivative of pygg, an orange clay used in pottery. The other is that in many societies a pig was considered a family's "food bank" and a symbol of good luck. Of course, most people today don't keep pigs, but they do collect the banks.
Piggy banks come in all types of materials and sizes, from miniatures that can accept just a few dimes to specimens up to 24 inches or more! Most are ceramic (earthenware, porcelain, china, etc.), but they are also often made of glass, metal (cast iron, copper, tin, silver, gold, etc.), plaster, wood, and even Lexan!
Older "old-fashioned" pigs had to be smashed to retrieve any savings, but most piggys today posses the more familiar hole from which to extricate the coins, allowing the bank to be reused multiple times.
Note: if you have a plugless bank and have been unable to remove any coins it contains, try inserting a butter knife in the slot, turning the pig upside-down, and giving it a slight shake. It works for me.
The plugs for the holes are usually made of rubber, plastic, or cork. It is not uncommon to find banks at yard and rummage sales that are missing their plugs, but that usually has little effect on value as a generic plug can easily be replaced simply by using a similar one from a damaged bank of which there are also many.
Of course, most people would love to have antique pig banks in their collections, but many prefer to seek out a particular material, country of origin, company logo, or maker, just to name a few areas of concentration. Some of the better-known potteries, including Wedgwood, Wade, and Hummel, have produced pig banks that are all highly collectible.
So, how much can you expect to spend to add a particularly nice piece to your collection? At present, Hummels are selling from $85 to 200+; if it's a Hull miniature dime bank, it could cost you up to $200, while the Wade pigs issued by the National Westminster bank in England can easily demand up to $400 and more.
Values - which are, of course, dependent on factors like rarity and condition - can and do fluctuate over time, but if you seek out the best examples of what you like, you can't go wrong.
For more information about piggy banks, the following resources are recommended:
Books
"Bank Book," by Bill Norman
http://tinyurl.com/55uss2
"Ceramic Coin Banks: Identification and Value Guide," by Tom Stoddard and Loretta Stoddard
http://tinyurl.com/55g9dz
"Collectors Guide to Banks: Identification & Values: Pottery, Porcelain, Composition," by Bev Mangus and Jim Mangus
http://tinyurl.com/62lnc2
"Collector's Guide to Glass Banks: Identification $ Values," by Charles V. Reynolds
http://tinyurl.com/67a5qc
"Modern Banks," by Vickie Stulb
http://tinyurl.com/5ctlhe
"A Penny Saved: Still and Mechanical Banks," by Don Duer
http://tinyurl.com/5zk3rp
Websites
The Piggy Bank Page
http://www.piggybankpage.co.uk
One of the best piggy bank sites offers concise history of piggy banks along with lots of pics and info about pigs by various potteries.
Pico's Pigs
http://www.picospigs.com/Site/Index.asp?Lang=E
Italian/English site devoted to a personal collection. Nice pics, info, links.
Piggy Bank Info Exchange
http://members.aol.com/FPanettier/index.html
Collector's F. Panettier's home page offers info and pics of over 1350-piece collection.
When an Ordinary Ceramic Piggy Bank Is Worth More Than Its Contents
http://www.amazines.com/Collecting/article_detail.cfm/341079?articleid=341079
This article by Ruth Talbot discusses the highly collectible Wade-pottery piggy banks given away as promotions by Great Britain's National Westminster Bank.
|
