Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Ceramics, Porcelain
Ceramic piggy banks have an interesting history. Why pigs, exactly, and not bank shapes or a tiny safe? Apparently, we use pigs because of language, and a simple mistake. The word “pygg” was an old English word for an orange clay commonly used to make jars, pots, dishes, and almost anything we use ceramic for today. Extra coins in a household were commonly dropped into a jar made from pygg. Language evolved over the next few hundreds years, and in the early 19th century when some English potters were asked to make pygg banks, they made banks shaped like pigs. They were a hit with customers, and the piggy bank was born—or so the most widely believed explanation says.
One other version of the origin of the ceramic piggy bank claims that a young boy in the early 20th century wanted to raise money to help lepers. He sold his pet pig and donated the money from the sale to help leprosy victims. His generosity caused people to call it the Pig Bank Movement, thus staring the name piggy bank. A church in Kansas bears a plaque commemorating the boy and his generosity, and the piggy bank in general.
Who hasn’t had a piggy bank at some point in his or her life? Ceramic piggy banks are popular items today, and are often given to children at birth or as a first birthday gift, as an heirloom and to foster the good habit of saving money for a rainy day. Silver-plated banks are often engraved with the child’s name and date of birth or some other milestone date when given as gifts. And often tradition has the gift-giver putting the first coin into the bank before giving it as a seed for future wealth.
The value of collectible ceramic piggy banks hinges on a number of things like the age, the condition, and the significance of the design or the bank itself (did it belong so someone noteworthy, or was it created by someone famous, for instance.) What kind of piggy bank you purchases depends on whether or not you’re interested in it as a collectible, or if it’s simply because you love the design.
Vintage ceramic piggy banks can be called vintage simply because they’re not in a currently popular style. Be sure it’s not just labeled as vintage, but collectible as well, if you’re looking for an investment piece to add value to your collection. The uniqueness of the bank, and the quality and condition all figure into the price and the value.
Very old ceramic piggy banks will often have cracks, chips or crackling. If you can find a very old bank intact, you’ve probably found a nice collector piece. Just be sure to ask the seller, whether online or in person, if repairs have been made, if any chips have been glued, or if any type of re-glazing has been done to the bank. You’ll want one as close to its original condition as possible.
Originally posted 2008-10-29 14:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Depression Glass Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Glass The history of Depression Glass is actually quite fascinating and it is a true testimony to its appeal that decades later it is still in high demand. These colorful glass items were made to be cheap, they had to be in order to sell...... - Antique Lamps Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Lamps There is a huge market right now for collectible antique lamps and these functional decorative collectibles can brighten any home. If you’re looking for a collectible that is not only beautiful but also functional, antique lamps are the perfect answer. There are literally hundreds......
- Chinese Chest Antiques -> Asian -> Chinese: Chests A Chinese chest can improve the look of any room, in addition to providing storage space and serving as a conversation piece, especially if it's an antique. A chest can function as more than just storage, it can be used as a coffee or......
- Antique Lighting Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Lamps Whether you are trying to restore an older home and would like to keep it in the period style, or you just appreciate older light fixtures, antique lighting has much to offer. There are many different styles from Victorian, to Art Deco to Modern......
- Stained Glass Windows Antiques -> Architectural and Garden -> Stained Glass Windows-> Pre-1900 Stained glass windows are more than just functional windows, they are works of art that can express exalted meanings or simply beautify a room. When you are shopping for antique stained glass, it’s important to understand the amount of time......
Related Websites - What Exactly is Online Banking? by Amy Nutt To put it simply, online banking is the banking of the future. It is how people can handle all of their banking needs right from their computer without ever having to get up to go to the bank. The services can be accessed at anytime and most......
-
Coin Collecting 101 Coin collecting is an industry that has grown to encompass billions of dollars in sales. The earliest hobby of coin collecting is capable of being traced as far back as 1300 AD, which is when an Italian scholar known by the name of Fracesco Petrarca began to save coins and...... -
Weakon 151: Banking Industry Explained, Part 1 Since starting my job at a bank, people outside of the industry are always asking me, "How do banks make money?". Given the redundancies I experience on a daily basis, I question it myself. Banks offer a product just like any other company. Their product is money. And there are...... -
Entitlement vs. Earning: How to Avoid Harmful Help as a Parent Photo by: law_keven The following is a guest post by Cameron C. Taylor, author of the book Does Your Bag Have Holes? 24 Truths That Lead to Financial and Spiritual Freedom "But I want it NOW!" As if yelling this over and over creates the right for a child...... - Another Buy: Citi Wants a Piece of Wachovia's Badonkadonk Remember yesterday when I talked about Wachovia remembering my original post about them hunkering down? Looks like they hunkered a bit too far. To the template! What Happened? Amid the fallout of the WaMu failure and takeover, rumors about a Wachovia failure came to the front. The funny thing......
