Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?
A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called ‘pygg.’ When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as ‘pygg banks.’ When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig and it caught on.
Q: Why do dimes, quarters and half dollars have reeded edges, while pennies and nickels do not?
A: The US Mint began putting reeding on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars were reeded because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels weren’t reeded because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.