You’re going through your grandfather’s belongings—maybe helping out the family, maybe just exploring a drawer no one’s opened in decades—and you find it: a small, oddly shaped leather pouch. Doesn’t look like much, but it feels worn in the hand, well-used, almost important.
You post it online.
“Any idea if this is valuable or interesting?”
The internet answers:
“It’s a change purse.”
Wait… Just a Change Purse?
Yup. That’s it. A change purse.
Before contactless payments, Apple Pay, and “tap to tip,” people actually carried cash—and lots of coins. A change purse was the go-to accessory for keeping all that jangling metal in one place. But while it might seem basic today, change purses were once essential everyday items, and some were even tiny works of art.
What Makes a Change Purse Interesting?
Not all change purses are created equal. The one you found could be:
- Handmade leather with age-softened patina
- Coin purse with a kiss-lock clasp (popular mid-century design)
- Snap-top rubber pouch from the ‘60s–‘80s
- Novelty purse from a specific brand or era (think: Coca-Cola, baseball teams, state fairs)
Look for branding, unusual materials, or dated inscriptions. Some vintage change purses are now collector’s items, especially those tied to a specific event, company, or pop culture reference.
Is It Valuable?
Financially? Maybe.
Sentimentally or historically? Probably more than you think.
Most vintage change purses range from $5 to $50 depending on condition, age, and uniqueness. But if it’s tied to a well-known brand or has a rare design (like coin purses made during WWII or from now-defunct banks or transit systems), it could be worth more to collectors.
That said, even a “basic” change purse is a pocket-sized piece of social history—proof of how people handled money before the digital age.
Final Thought: Small Item, Big Story
That little pouch you found in Grandpa’s drawer may not pay off your mortgage, but it holds a slice of his daily life—trips to the store, coins saved for coffee, or pocket change handed to grandkids “for a treat.”
It might be simple, but it’s real, and that’s what makes it interesting.
So don’t toss it. Hold onto it—or even better, use it. Who knows? You might start a retro trend.
