Description:
At first sight this object might look like a cheap plastic toy bus, but the slot in the roof shows that it was a money box and more likely to be ceramic. The shape is that of the iconic red London Routemaster bus, which was introduced in 1956. The last one was made in 1968 and the last one in regular service in London was withdrawn at the end of 2005.
The moneybox is remarkably plain, when compared to other moneyboxes which feature route numbers and destinations. There are signs of some wear and minor damage and it is possible some details have been lost. However, the red paint work is not even and the windows somewhat irregular. Does this imply that the bus was not professionally made? The pictures do not show if there was a hole in the base for easy removal of coins.
Money boxes of London buses are widely available a souvenirs, but novelty money boxes of many kinds are designed to make saving pocket money fun for young children. Pig shaped boxes are very popular and called piggy banks. There is also a huge range of boxes for adults to save loose change.
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