How do mechanical banks actually work?

They rely on a series of internal levers and springs. You place a coin on a specific rest or figure, then press a secondary lever to activate the movement. The action drops the coin into the base while resetting the figures.

I inherited a heavy iron bank shaped like a bank building, but it is missing the key, so how do people usually open these?

Most cast iron architectural banks rely on a simple trapdoor in the base plate. If the original key is lost, a locksmith can cut a replacement barrel key to fit the simple warding. Never force the lock with a screwdriver. The cast iron lugs holding the trap are brittle and will snap if pried. Some models do not use locks at all. Look for a long joining screw passing through the centre of the building instead.

Why are ceramic pigs so common?

Pigs have symbolised wealth and food security for centuries. In rural communities, fattening a pig ensured the family had meat for the winter, making the animal a natural metaphor for saving. Potters across Britain produced them in vast quantities as cheap fairground prizes. They were affordable gifts that taught children the value of accumulating small change.

There is a wooden bank with no obvious slot or lock on my shelf, what is the trick to getting inside one of these?

Trick boxes form a separate branch of antique money boxes. Turners and cabinetmakers enjoyed creating puzzle banks to deter casual theft by siblings or servants. You usually need to find a hidden moving part. Try pressing the wooden finials, sliding the base panels, or rotating the feet to see if a false bottom drops away. Centuries of humidity can make these wooden joints stiff. Handle them gently so the internal catches do not jam.

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Ranging from simple slipware pottery globes to complex cast iron mechanical novelties, antique money boxes were practical vessels designed to encourage household thrift by securely holding loose coins.

19th century

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Money Box

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£170

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An Amusing Carved Hardwood Money Box of a Miser

19th century

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An Amusing Carved Hardwood Money Box of a Miser

From Gerard Robinson Fine Art and Antiques

£245

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19th century

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Miniature Dresser Money Box

From Newsum Antiques

£225

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