history Coin pocket
The extra pocket on the right-hand side of jeans was originally intended to protect pocket watches. The pocket has gradually become smaller and smaller, and less commonly used for carrying watches, it is now known as a coin pocket.
history Coin pocket
Jeans are commonly referred to as ‘five pockets’, but when the first pairs were made to outfit miners in 1870s California, there were only three pockets – one in the back, placed to the right, and two in the front.
Soon, a smaller extra pouch, about 9 centimetres wide, was added inside the right front pocket. It was originally included to protect pocket watches, thus called a ‘watch pocket’, but was in reality used for any small belongings like tickets, matches or coins.
From the first years of the 20th century, blue jeans were designed with two back pockets and the extra pocket was gradually downsized to about 7.5 centimetres. Smaller and less commonly used for carrying watches, it has since then become known as a coin pocket.