Squeezable Oval Shape Coin Purse
From LoveToKnow Handbags
Great for promotions and for protecting pockets, the squeezable oval shape coin purse is as popular today as when it was first introduced in 1951, although you have to do some hunting to find one with a bit of novelty.
Squeezable Oval Shape Coin Purse History
Also called a squeeze coin purse or fold coin purse (usually oval although sometimes round, these gadgets were one of several fun and yet functional plastic designs created in the booming postwar years. When it was noticed that boys’ and men’s pockets were wearing through more quickly than the rest of the trousers, thanks to the weight of the change they carried around, a little purse was devised that lies flat when empty. It’s meant to hold a substantial amount of change securely, and when you need some, just squeeze and it opens. Women use them too, of course, because there’s only so much weight you want in a woman's wallet.
Promotional Squeezable Oval Shape Coin Purses
The simplicity of the squeeze purse design, along with the conception that most men would probably end up using more than one purse, made the purse instantly desirable for advertising. You could get a free purse through banks, hardware stores, your local shoe repair and even some restaurants. Local politicians used them when campaigning and of course you could get one that showed your support for your local sports team. Because they are so cheap and easy to make, a number of businesses still manufacture them for commercial promotion, although this is far less common than it was in the purses’ heyday.
Where to Buy
One of the most popular places to shop for a squeeze coin purse is eBay, because a lot of users want one of the original purses. Because the purses were designed to be used so regularly, not many have survived over the decades in a usable condition. They can certainly be found, but at prices a bit higher than you might want to spend on this item. However, if your heart is set on a specific squeezable oval shaped coin purse, it’s worth hunting the auction sites.
The good news is that you can buy new purses for very reasonable prices. One site selling them is HandiWorks. Since they specialize is selling products for the blind and partially sighted, you know you’re not getting something shoddy. The vinyl coin purse comes in eighteen colors, including translucent greens, pinks and purples. For an extra fifteen cents, you can have a chain attached, which is useful if you want to keep the purse with your keys.
You can also buy the purses on Amazon. They have simple ones in a rugged plastic with the chain attached, or a larger purse that is rounder and comes only in blue.
Finally, what better place to buy something old-fashioned than a purveyor of old-fashioned goods? The Vermont Country Store sells the purses in a beautiful rich red with a chain attached.
Custom Squeeze Coin Purses
Some things don’t change. Squeeze coin purses were an excellent and practical promotional device back in the 1950s and they still are, with the extra advantage of novelty attached. If you want to promote a business or person, you can have coin purses made with whatever slogan or logo you like. Garrett Specialties is one of several companies from whom you can order custom purses. The prices are competitive and you have a choice of eleven colors of purse, plus a contrast color for text. You can have an additional color as well for an extra charge.
Other companies that will design custom promotional squeeze coin purses include:
Using Squeeze Coin Purses
Most users love them, although a few do caution that an inopportune squeeze will release a lot more change than you want. For the most part, however, these little purses just make “cents.”
Learn More
This page has been accessed 1,517 times. This page was last modified 15:20, 5 September 2008.
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