We are in Mexico, where I bought a lovely ceramic animal made by indigenous craftspeople. I think it is a pig. It has a coin slot. Your story is very Anglo-Saxon focused. Could the idea of a ceramic pig to hold coins have an origin that would place its descendants in many countries (say Spain) without passing through England first? For example, did Romans have ceramic containers to hold loose coins?
Hi **bwasow **- is this the column you are referring to?
Link
I recently bought some “Parmesan” cheese that was made in Wisconsin. Perhaps the story of this cheese’s origins near Parma are just Italian-focused PR.
For what it’s worth, the Swedish equivalent, spargris, was first recorded in 1920 so I have no problem with assuming that we imported the concept of a pig shaped coin-box together with the name for it some time before that date.
Why would an indiginous culture make jars for holding coins, unless they have had dealings with societies that use coins? If they have had enough dealings to be selling coin receptacles to tourists, then they have had enough exposure to know said coin receptacles are often called “piggy banks” and sell better when they are shaped like pigs.