“For a hundred years, ‘Lyckoslanten’ has been helping children understand financial matters based on situations from their everyday lives. Through the magazine and the teaching resources that are published along with it, schools get pedagogical support to discuss money and personal finance in the classroom,” says Arturo Arques, private economist for Swedbank and the Savings Banks, and Editor-in-Chief of “Lyckoslanten”.

The magazine, whose name means “the lucky coin”, is published by Swedbank and the Savings Banks. With a circulation of about 300,000 copies, it is distributed free of charge to middle-school classes across Sweden.

Children’s finances in a digital world

Social media, Swish and in-game currencies are now a natural part of everyday life for many children and young people. At the same time, most children begin using digital payment solutions at an early age, and many manage virtual currencies in digital environments.

“Children have always needed to learn how to use and relate to money. Today, when they are exposed to an almost constant stream of advertising and consumer messages, it is important to equip them with knowledge that helps them make informed decisions,” says Arturo Arques, private economist for Swedbank and the Swedish Savings Banks, and Editor-in-Chief of Lyckoslanten.

A century of financial education

The first issue of “Lyckoslanten” was published in 1926. Since then, the magazine has reflected changes in society and helped children understand everything from piggy banks and weekly allowance to Swish and digital finances.

To mark the anniversary, the exhibition “From Piggy Banks to Swish: the Lyckoslanten Magazine turns 100” is being shown at the Tumba Paper Mill Museum (Tumba bruksmuseum). The exhibition explores how attitudes towards children and money have changed over the course of a century, and is complemented by free educational programmes for middle-school students. More information is available at - Tumba bruksmuseum