Poor box

They can be found in most Christian churches built before the 19th century and were the main source of funds for poor relief.

Contemporary mite boxes are usually made of cardboard and given out to church congregations during the Lenten season.

Mite boxes are popular with children because they can fill them with small change, teaching them the principle of giving alms to the poor.

The Mite box promotes the spirit of contributing based on the intent to help others, and not on the monetary amount.

Pope Innocent III, at the end of the twelfth century, allowed some mite boxes to be placed in churches so that the faithful people could at any time dispose their alms.

Mite box in the St.-Gallus-Kirche in Ladenburg , Germany
A bronze Widow's Mite or Lepton , minted by Alexander Jannaeus, King of Judaea , 103–76 B.C. obverse: anchor upside-down in circle, reverse: star of eight rays.