Exhibits
The Corporate Archives curates physical and digital exhibits from our collections to tell BMO’s story over the years. Our aim is to provide a better understanding of the defining moments in our history.
A walk down piggy bank lane
BMO has always stressed the importance of encouraging customers, including our youngest, to make real financial progress through saving. One of the ways we have done this over the years is through the production of piggy banks. Since the early-twentieth century, BMO has produced piggy banks for their customers and employees as way to have fun while saving. This exhibit explores some of the historic piggy banks found in our U.S. Corporate Archives.
Harris Silver Oval Shaped Coin Bank
Harris Trust & Savings Bank was founded in Chicago in 1882 by Norman Wait Harris under the original name of N. W. Harris & Co. It quickly grew to become one of the most respected and trusted banks in Chicago. Later in 1984, it made history by becoming BMO’s first American acquisition.
One of the oldest Harris piggy banks we have in the Corporate Archives is a silver, oval-shaped bank produced in the 1910s. This piggy bank is unique because it has specific slots for each coin type and a way to measure how many of each coin have been collected.
Harris Silver Radio Bank
This combination coin bank and crystal radio was comissioned by Harris Trust & Savings Bank in the 1920s. The piece was designed as a working radio with dials and knobs to control the channels, as well as a coin slot to save. Customers could save money while listening to their favourite radio station.
Harris Lion Coin Bank
In the 1950s, Harris Bank commissioned brass Harris lion piggy banks. They were offered as premiums to customers who made a deposit of $25 or more into a new or existing account. Those interested could also purchase one outright for $1.25. Harris began using the lion as a symbol in 1911.
Ceramic Hubert Coin Bank
This ceramic Hubert piggy bank was commissioned by Harris Bank in the 1970s. Hubert has his trademark dollar sign fur and he is holding a green umbrella. This piggy bank was a beloved promotional item.
Hubert the Harris Lion was developed in the fall of 1957 and he quickly became one of the most successful advertising phenomena in the history of Chicago banking. He was featured in other promotional items, such as backpacks, alarm clocks, and stuffed dolls until his retirement in 2023.
M&I Barrel Piggy Bank
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation (M&I), was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1847. At the time of their acquisition in 2011, they had almost 200 locations spread throughout Wisconsin.
This gold and wooden barrel piggy bank was created by M&I Bank in the 1960s. As Wisconsin is know for their craft beer, this piggy bank was an exciting and topical promotional item that made saving more fun.
BMO US Acquisitions Wooden Train Piggy Bank
BMO celebrated the growth of our organization through aquisitions of financial institutions during the twentieth century by commissioning a wooden train piggy bank. There are eight pieces to the train and each car represents a U.S. bank that BMO has acquired: Harris Bank, 1984; Mercantile National Bank of Indiana, 2004; NLSB Bank, 2004; Villa Park Bank, 2005; First National Bank & Trust, 2007; Ozaukee Bank, 2008; Merchants & Manufactures BanCorp, 2008; and AMCORE Bank, 2010. The Mercantile National Bank of Indiana car doubles as a piggy bank.
Blue BMO Piggy Bank
The most recent addition to the bank’s collection is the modern blue BMO piggy bank.
The most accepted theory about the origin of piggy banks dates back to the Middle Ages when “pygg,” an orange clay, was used to make pots. As time went on, potters confused the type of clay with the animal and began forming the pots into little pig shapes. Eventually people started using the pots to store their money and “pygg” bank evolved into “piggy” bank by the end of the eighteenth century.