Pokémon: Why Meowth Wears A Coin On Its Head
In Pokémon, Meowth is easily recognized by the gold coin placed in the center of its forehead, a reference to a traditional Japanese figurine. The species of cream-colored cat Pokémon was introduced in the original Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, released in Japan beforethe series came to North America. One particular Meowth is featured prominently as a member of Pokémon's antagonistic Team Rocket in the anime, and is the primary source for the Pokémon's characterization. Coin-adorned Meowth is heavily inspired by the Japanese figurines known as maneki-neko, meaning “beckoning cat.”
Maneki-neko can be found in the entrances of businesses across Japan and serve as good luck charms. They are traditionally small, cream-colored or calico cat statues, made out of ceramic or plastic, with one paw raised in a beckoning gesture. Maneki-neko are thought to bring good fortune, and some of the Meowth sprites in older Pokémon games are positioned sitting up with one or both paws raised, like a maneki-neko. Many maneki-neko either hold or wear an Edo-era koban coin as a decoration, and the coin worn in the center of Meowth's forehead resembles one.
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The move Pay Day, originally exclusive to the Meowth line, awards the player extra money after a battle. Meowth’s regional variants following Pokémon's first generation, and Galarian evolution Perrserker, keep the Koban coin. Meowth’s original evolution, Persian, swaps the coin out for a small gem, continuing the theme of visual wealth. As Twitter user AshandSerena points out, Meowth’s Gigantamax form from Pokémon Sword and Shield replaces the koban coin with an ōban coin, a larger gold coin from the same era worth
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