The Money Box

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A money-box was given to my parents for me when I was born.

It is in the shape of a round coin, coloured brown and made of plastic.

On one side it reads ‘Penny Bank of New Zealand’, and on the other side ‘1950’ ‘Save the Pennies the Pounds Will Take Care of Themselves’.  There is also a bird resting on fern branches, to me it doesn’t look anything like a Kiwi which is a New Zealand native bird.

I never did find out who gave me this gift.

My only childhood memory of the money-box was when I was fourteen years of age. I had a crush ona young man who played in the Salvation Army Band every Sunday morning. Bob did not wear the traditional uniform worn bu other Salvationist; he wore a Military Army uniform because  he was always on Padre Duty every Sunday. Bob looked spick and span . I would sit, gaze and smile at him, and he would reciprocate.  Bob’s parents were Salvation Army Officer’s . They invited me to their place for Sunday dinner. After dinner Bob offered to drive me home which consequently lead to a kiss and cuddle. Bob gave me a ten shilling note.

On returning home I never told my parents (they were not Salvationist’s) about Bob or the money because my father would have wanted to kill Bob and would have made me give the money to my mother for food.

In the privacy of the room that I shared with my sister Heather I showed her the ten shilling note and she watched me fold the note and push it through the slot on the money box.

A few weeks later I wanted to buy something. On opening the box I was disappointed that the then shilling note was gone. Heather denied all knowledge of where it might have gone.

For 68 years that money box has been with me.  It does have a few New Zealand coins inside it.  I never played with it as a child.  I have now found another use for it. I am happy that I can now use my money box as a percussion instrument, it brings music to my ears and I can sing along to Abba’s song:

MONEY MONEY MONEY MUST BE FUNNY IN A RICH MAN’S WORLD, MONEY MONEY MONEY ALWAYS SUNNY IN A RICH MAN’S WORLD.

 

 

20 thoughts on “The Money Box”

  4. Thank you for sharing a bit of history into your prized possession. It’s lovely to be able to keep something such a long time, with so many memories and a bit of history attached to it, and still find a use for it too! 🙂
    xx

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