Review: 40155 Piggy Coin Bank
Posted by CapnRex101,
Typically LEGO fans clamour for information about upcoming sets, so the rather abrupt release of 40155 Piggy Coin Bank was quite a surprise. LEGO store exclusives like this one and 40154 Iconic Pencil Pot have proven very popular so far this year, so much so that they are often out of stock in stores!
The traditional piggy bank is a well known form and I think it has been well rendered here, despite the angular nature of LEGO bricks. Not only does the model look great but it is also functional, with a coin slot in the top and a considerable space inside for storing coins.
However, it is probably the character conveyed by the face of the pig which won me over most of all as it looks fantastic despite the simplicity of the design. An impressive range of emotions can be conveyed merely by adjusting a few pieces, something that cannot be said of a standard piggy bank.
Box and Contents
The box for this model is a very unusual shape, being very wide and very deep in comparison with its height. The yellow background contrasts nicely with the predominantly red piggy bank and there are some alternative shots on the back showing the model from other angles.
Inside is a single instruction booklet and three bags full of pieces, consisting mainly of a huge variety of red bricks and plates. As anticipated the eyes are printed tiles so no stickers are required.
The Build
Construction is not particularly innovative as much of the build consists simply of stacking bricks, although it is satisfying to see these bricks forming a rather nice curved shape. The face is attached at an angle using bricks with studs on the side while the eyebrows and ears are fitted using small ball joints and clips, so seeing how those come together is quite interesting.
By its nature the build is not very exciting, although I would not expect it to be given the size and design of the model. The results on the other hand are superb in my opinion.
The Completed Model
Despite the simplicity of the model it has enormous charm, reminiscent of older sets released in the 1970s when a relatively small range of parts were available. All the features typical of a pig have been captured including the trotters, twisted tail and snout.
The eyes, eyebrows and ears can all be adjusted to express some different emotions. The irony of using sausage components for the eyebrows of the pig is brilliant and they are ideal pieces for the task so they look great too.
The model functions well as a coin bank too, with a large 1x6 stud slot which is big enough for any coin in general circulation worldwide as far as I am aware. The capacity is quite substantial, comfortably holding a couple of hundred pennies I would estimate. Some disassembly is required to access the money inside, although I suppose this is appropriate since traditional ceramic piggy banks must be smashed in order to open them.
Overall
I think this is a superb LEGO household accessory. Not only is it a useful container for coins but it looks great as well, with lots of character and the possibility of changing the expression on the face which is fun.
The pig would arguably be even better if it were pink like many real life breeds, although I think red is a good alternative as lots of the pieces in the set have never appeared in pink, so many new elements would be required. There is the potential that the coins might damage the studs inside the coin bank over time as the metal is likely to wear down the plastic, but luckily the pieces are all very common and easily replaced.
For the price of £10.99 in the UK or $14.99 in the US I think this is an excellent little model and one which is well worth adding to your collection.
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23 comments on this article
I managed to get hold of this set at the end of May at the Manchester Lego store and I love it. Not built it yet but it's so much fun and well worth the £10.99 price tag... Love the inclusion of the sausages as eyebrows-that's what encouraged me to buy it... :)
If I had known about his curly tail, I would have bought it immediately! This is a superb little model.
One could put cloth or other padding inside the bank before sealing it up, to avoid scratching up the bricks and studs within...
Well I was planning a trip to the Westfield Lego store sooner or later, so perhaps I have something else to pick up as well!
I like the design, but the first question my daughter asked me is why it's red and not pink. Couldn't answer that one...
I would imagine it is because they don't have pink in all the bricks they would need. Idk
While the curly tail is a nice addition, I think they could have designed a better one. The technic pieces seem a bit out of place.
I use an "oil can inspired" bank which is solid metal. For a time, I used a translucent red plastic bank, which was given to me by a family friend who worked at a local bank at the time, that looked quite similar to this Lego model.
Since I build a lot of fire apparatus, I'll likely end up buying this as a parts pack due to the fact it's almost all red.
At least one good thing is, if someone wants one in a different color, all they need is the instructions and the parts in whatever color they want it in.
We have three of these now, my two daughters who are aged 8 and 10 and my mum at 81 years young!
Yep, gotta get it.
I don't understand (and don't like) the flat top surface. They could've easily made it more curved IMO.
I'm unimpressed. It looks bovine to me, not porcine. The flat top really bothers me too, Thunderburt. It looks like a set that was slapped together with little thought.
If you replaced all the pieces, would you still have the same pig? If not, at what point would it become a different pig? If you built the worn-down pieces into another pig, which would be the original?
I agree as well Thunderburt, the flat top is really ugly. The fact it is red also makes it look kind of bad imo.
Honestly this looks nothing like a pig to me. I agree with ericjohn, it just screams cow. Maybe that's mostly down to it being red... and while yes, there are parts here that don't come in pink, I cannot believe Lego is trying to sell a piggy bank that is not pink.
Although not really traditional with its red colo(u)r and flat top, it's still quite adorable while retaining functionality, so I'd say a success. Whether or not kids care about the odd style remains to be seen. Personally I have no interest, but I wouldn't say the set is bad by any means.
Hopefully it will be in a discounted sale at some point
Would have been fun if TLG had been a bit wild and crazy, and made this in the rare colour Nougat/Flesh!
But, I suppose that would be to much to ask for...(please TLG, give us some bricks in Nougat)
In that colour, I had bought at least 27 boxes;-)
Nope, red is just wrong.
I don't see why Bright-Red could be called "wrong" on a piggy coin-bank, but that might just be me.
All the same, I'll try to pick this up if I see it. Good price for an Exclusive. :)
For those complaining about the shape, that's what actual piggy banks look like. This one's face sticks out more than real banks', but the chunky feet and round body are staples of the classic bank. Most don't have tails like that, however...
The flat top is a bit off-putting, now that I see it, but it can easily be fixed. The color is red purely because LEGO doesn't want to waste time and money making several pieces in pink for the first time.
i like the piggy bank (Jessie, aged 10)
I don't get why so many people are bothered by the color, honestly. When I was a kid, I had a red plastic piggy bank, and my brother had a blue one. In the United States, at least, I don't feel like the color of a piggy bank is a really big deal.
I don't get why some people are saying it looks cow-like, either. I certainly don't see it. Short stumpy legs, a wide, flat snout, a fat body, short ears, and a curly tail are pretty much all the traits I expect to see in a cartoon pig.
I fully understand the criticisms of the flat top, though. I'm sure if the price point were a bit higher that could have been rounded off.
I can't find this set at my local lego store.