Miniature Cream Ceramic Pig with Blue Polka Dots

A tiny, round-bellied ceramic pig in a glossy cream glaze, with pink-tipped ears, a pink snout and mouth, little black dot eyes and a cluster of three cobalt-blue polka dots on each side. He stands on four stubby legs. There's an oval opening on his back and a round hole underneath, so he works as a sweet little bud vase, a toothpick or matchstick holder, or a mini coin bank. It sits easily in the palm of a hand. Maker unmarked. It's in good condition with a clean glaze.

Why are money boxes shaped like pigs? A popular story says medieval people kept coins in jars made of an orange clay called "pygg", and that a "pygg jar" eventually became a pig-shaped bank. Word historians say there's no record of such a clay, though. The real reason is more likely simple symbolism: in many cultures a well-fed pig stands for plenty and good fortune.