NatWest’s famous piggy banks burst onto the British cultural scene in December 1983, launching one of the first savings accounts made just for children. With only £3, young savers could open an account and take Woody home. He was the baby of the Piggy family, along with a bright starter pack of crayons and a wall chart.
Each pig marked a new savings milestone: Annabel at £25, Maxwell at £50, Lady Hilary at £75, and finally Sir Nathaniel Westminster at £100. It usually took a couple of years (and plenty of pocket money!) to collect the full family.
The scheme was an instant hit, 1,500 accounts were opened on day one, and by 1985 over a million piggies had found new homes. By the end of the promotion in 1988, more than five million had been made, though Sir Nathaniel remained the rarest thanks to that lofty £100 goal, which would have been rather unattainable for a child in the 1980’s.
The first models were created by Paul Cardew of Sunshine Ceramics, known for his quirky teapot designs. As demand soared, NatWest turned to Wade Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, where the talented modeller Alan Maslankowski crafted the second versions.
Today, these piggy banks are fondly remembered by a whole generation. And if you want a real hit of nostalgia, the original advert is still on YouTube!
This object was an Object of the Month was on display in the Curtis Museum as part of the NLHF Allen Gallery Redevlopment Project, Alton.
