History Main / UnclePennyBags

* In 1955, Creator/CharltonComics introduced Uncle Giveaway, a portly, mustachoid older fellow not too dissimilar in appearance from the TropeNamer. Creator/JackKirby was at least partially credited for his creation. Uncle Giveaway wished to be a heroic crime fighter, but the only power he truly had was being obscenely rich ("moderately less than SantaClaus"). So instead, he resolved to do good by generously giving out prizes. This was the setup of ''Win a Prize Comics'', a series in which Uncle Giveaway would [[TheHost host]] a number of different stories, and even star in a few adventures himself. At the end of each issue, Uncle Giveaway would pose questions, and 500 of the readers that successfully answered would win a real life prize! Unfortunately for the old Uncle, ''Win a Prize Comics'' [[ShortRunners only lasted two issues]]. On the flipside, he's [[https://pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Giveaway apparently]] now in the PublicDomain, so feel free to create your own stories starring the selfless billionaire.

* In 1955, Creator/CharltonComics introduced Uncle Giveaway, a portly, mustachoid older fellow not too dissimilar in appearance from the TropeNamer. Creator/JackKirby was at least partially credited for his creation. Uncle Giveaway wished to be a heroic crime fighter, but the only power he truly had was being obscenely rich ("moderately less than SantaClaus"). So instead, he resolved to do good by generously giving out prizes. This was the setup of ''Win a Prize Comics'', a series in which Uncle Giveaway would [[TheHost host]] a number of different stories, and even star in a few adventures himself. At the end of each issue, Uncle Giveaway would pose questions, and 500 of the readers that successfully answered would win real life prize! Unfortunately for the old Uncle, ''Win a Prize Comics'' [[ShortRunners only lasted two issues]]. On the flipside, he's [[https://pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Giveaway apparently]] now in the PublicDomain, so feel free to create your own stories starring the selfless billionaire.

* In 1955, Creator/CharltonComics introduced Uncle Giveaway, a portly, mustachoid older fellow not too dissimilar in appearance from the TropeNamer. Creator/JackKirby was at least partially credited for his creation. Uncle Giveaway wished to be a heroic crime fighter, but the only power he truly had was being obscenely rich ("moderately less than SantaClaus"). So instead, he resolved to do good by generously giving out prizes. This was the setup of ''Win a Prize Comics'', a series in which Uncle Giveaway would [[TheHost host]] a number of different stories, and even star in a few adventures himself. At the end of each issue, Uncle Giveaway would pose questions, and 500 of the readers that successfully answered would win real life prize! Unfortunately for the old Uncle, ''Win a Prize Comics'' [[ShortRunners only lasted two issues]]. On the flipside, he's [[https://pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Giveaway apparently]] now in the PublicDomainq, so feel free to create your own stories starring the selfless billionaire.

* Winston Deavor in ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2''. He is a rather eccentric but kind, successful tycoon who heads a billion-dollar telecommunications company he inherited from his late father. He also inherited from his father a love of superheroes and believed the SuperRelocationAct to have been the cause of his father's death. He wants to use his money and connections to organize a PR stunt to make superheroes legal again with Elastigirl as the head super in this (the logic being she caused the least amount of collateral damage). He pays her well for this and even gives her family a house to live in after they had been living in a motel.

** Scrooge McDuck didn't start out this way -as seen in ''ComicBook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck''-, but evolved into one in most interpretations. He's still ridiculously greedy, of course.
** He's not very friendly or sociable, but if you get into his good graces, he'll take you along for countless incredible adventures - you won't see any of the possible profits, though, and expect below minimum pay if even that.

** A recurring plot point in Italian comics is WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and others trying to get Scrooge to give money to various charities or otherwise being generous by winning a bet with him - with Scrooge helping them in secret because he doesn't want to appear generous or (worse) soft, and the rare times he's found out the others agree to keep the secret. [[AllThereInTheManual An insert in the Italian Mickey Mouse magazine]] also reveals he regularly makes generous donations to charities, he just hides all evidence.
** Scrooge is sometimes written as a literal AnEconomyIsYou, who has to spend money lavishly in order to keep himself in business - any given corporation being owned by him, he can't do anything that would save him money without costing himself an equal amount, so he might as well be generous.

* [[Franchise/DragonAge Varric]] is this at [[Fanfic/SkyholdAcademyYearbook Skyhold Academy]]. He has plenty of ImpossiblyCoolWealth, and his favorite thing to do with it (apart from spoiling his friends and LoveInterest) is to buy ice cream and other treats for the students at the school where he teaches. Most of his gifts are made anonymously, because - in the words of one of his colleagues - he likes to feel sneaky.

* Literature/HarryPotter ''himself'' has shown an inclination to be an Uncle Pennybags, especially to Ron - to the latter's chagrin. He actually wishes the Weasleys would let him share ''more'' of the money, but knows they wouldn't accept it.

* When James Qwilleran inherits a couple billion dollars from his mother's best friend in the ''Literature/TheCatWho'' novel series, he doesn't have the slightest idea what to do with it. So he sets up a philanthropic fund to assist with various endeavors around the community of Pickaxe, buys and revamps the dying local newspaper (and recruits his childhood best friend to be its editor), and gets involved with assorted charity activities and events. This generosity, coupled with his likable disposition, quickly endears him to his neighbors and he becomes one of the most beloved figures in the area.

** This could have been a rare shout out to Triple H's original gimmick in the WWF - Hunter Hearst Helmsley, ultra-wealthy American blue-blood. Although at the time Helmsley was much more of a Mr. Burns than an Uncle Pennybags.

** Also Varric, as seen in both that game and ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''. He belongs to a wealthy merchant family and uses some of his money to do things like bribe thugs not to harass his friends. By the time of the ''Trespasser'' DLC for ''Inquisition'', he has donated so much money to the rebuilding efforts in Kirkwall that [[spoiler:his complaint about the lack of a Viscount is interpreted as volunteering, and he's given the job - whether he likes it or not]].

* Llewellyn the Dragon from ''Webcomic/OzyAndMillie'' fits in here, too. He cites gold as stuff he and his family throw at people when they want them to go away, and in one collection, tries to make gold into cookies. (It works, sort of.) But it isn't surprising that he's so rich - he owns the patent on fire, and his species secretly rules the world, being behind ''every conspiracy'' since recorded history.

* [[Creator/CarlBarks Scrooge McDuck]] didn't start out this way, but evolved into one in most interpretations. He's still ridiculously greedy, of course.

*** A recurring plot point in Italian comics is Donald and others trying to get Scrooge to give money to various charities or otherwise being generous by winning a bet with him - with Scrooge helping them in secret because he doesn't want to appear generous or (worse) soft, and the rare times he's found out the others agree to keep the secret. [[AllThereInTheManual An insert in the Italian Mickey Mouse magazine]] also reveals he regularly makes generous donations to charities, he just hides all evidence.

%% * [[ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]].
* ''Comicbook/TheInvisibles'': Mason Lang is a good example of this. He is an incredibly rich HonestCorporateExecutive, he fully supports LaResistance with all his wealth and influence (without really being a full active member), and he is overall a fine and friendly guy.

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* Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in ''ComicStrip/LittleOrphanAnnie''.
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* Rodrigo Briscoletti from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' is this trope in spades. He's world-famous for his wealth and generosity, and he gets a lot of that wealth from running a [[MinigameZone casino resort]]. You can choose in the game to marry one of his two daughters, and he'll lavish gifts on you on your journey. But even if you marry your [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend childhood sweetheart]] instead, he'll still give you a family heirloom (a legendary artifact you're searching for), pay for your wedding to Bianca, let you stay for free at his casino, ''and'' give you one of his ships to set off in just because he likes you. What a guy!

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Not to be confused with RichIdiotWithNoDayJob, which is when this is used as a cover for a SecretIdentity. Often TheTeamBenefactor.

This trope name comes from "Rich Uncle Pennybags", the mascot of the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}}'' (first name [[EmbarrassingFirstName Milburn]]), who was renamed "Mr. Monopoly" [[IAmNotShazam because people just called him that anyway]].

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* In ''Manga/YakumoSanWaEdzukeGaShitai'', Yamato's mom Kyouka has no problems showing Yakumo her gratitude for taking care of her son, giving Yakumo an entire bag full of expensive designer perfumes as a thank you gift. She reasons that with how much her son eats, this is the least she could do to make up for the expenses.

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* Thomas and Martha Wayne from Franchise/{{Batman}} are both philanthropists as well as their son, Bruce, who runs his Wayne Foundation as a way of preventing and mitigating crime in ways Batman can't. One ComicBook/JonahHex storyline shows that the Waynes' ancestors were also good people who were not corrupted by their wealth and power.

*** A recurring plot point in Italian comics is Donald and others trying to get Scrooge to give money to various charities or otherwise being generous by winning a bet with him-with Scrooge helping them in secret because he doesn't want to appear generous or (worse) soft, and the rare times he's found out the others agree to keep the secret. [[AllThereInTheManual An insert in the Italian Mickey Mouse magazine]] also reveals he regularly makes generous donations to charities, he just hides all evidence.

* Naruto, of all people, become on in ''Fanfic/KitsuneOnCampus'' when he [[spoiler: reintroduces Icha Icha series to the world by publishing it in Mahora]]. Needless to say, he does not comprehend. His money is used to fund part of the Mahora Festival, which he has absolutely no problem with.

* "Big Daddy" [=LeBouf=] of ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' is the richest man in New Orleans, but is quite friendly and treats his employees and other individuals no matter their class with genuine respect. Most of his money seems to go toward doting on his SpoiledSweet daughter who tends to be another economic force for good.

* ''Film/{{Fitzwilly}}'''s Miss Woodworth is all too willing to give money to any worthy cause, a matter complicated by the small fact that she doesn't actually have a fortune, requiring her servants to pull off one con after another.

** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Before the events of this movie, Charles wasn't interested in reinstating the X-Men, yet he still allocated a ton of cash to Hank so that the latter can create a new model of the Blackbird. There's no logical reason for Xavier to do this other than it being a ''very'' expensive way for him to assuage [=McCoy=]'s worries that humanity might turn against mutantkind in the near future. Charles' attitude seems to be something along the lines of, "Hank, I think your fears are unfounded, but I'll let you build a warplane if it makes you feel better." Professor X is an extremely indulgent friend!
* The title character in both versions of ''Film/{{Arthur}}'' comes from a ridiculously wealthy family and has never had to hold down a job, and thus spends his days being FunPersonified, cracking jokes to any prospective audience he encounters. His stuffy family and their social circle don't approve of his playboy antics and find him annoying and embarrassing, but people outside of it -- including the working-class woman he falls in love with -- are more forgiving. Ironically, this romance puts him on the path to actually maturing at long last rather than the prospect of an ArrangedMarriage to a rich woman he doesn't love.

* Old Mr. Laurence, Laurie's grandfather and the Marches' next-door neighbor, in ''Literature/LittleWomen''. While Jo thinks Laurie gave him the idea, after he heard about how the March sisters donated their Christmas breakfast to a poor family, he sends over flowers and ice cream to make it up to them. Beth also tells a story of how she saw him in the fish market. When a poor woman asked the fishmonger for work in exchange for some fish, he refused her, but Mr. Laurence took the first fish he could grab and bought it for her. Later, when Jo and Fritz are saving up to get married and start a school, the narration mentions that he's been longing for an opportunity to help them discreetly and that he likes to pay for underprivileged boys to attend-- that way, he gets to both help poor families educate their children, ''and'' help Jo by making sure that she gets some of the boys who need her mothering, not just the rich boys whose parents can afford to pay for schooling.

* Shrug (that was his name, don't ask) on the short-lived sitcom ''It's Like, You Know...'', was a "retired internet billionaire" who had gone into acting. Despite being rich, he lived like most struggling actors lived (minus the poverty), threw great parties, and never hesitated to give out money to whomever needed it.

* Patrick Jane from ''Series/TheMentalist'' got ''filthy'' rich during his psychic days scamming people, but he decided to use his wealth for the good to balance it out. He likes giving presents to his colleagues and friends at the bureau -- for example, when he wins at the casino in poker, he buys two large sets of jewelry with emeralds and rubies for Lisbon and for van Pelt, and he gives very expensive watches to Rigsby and Cho. He also treats them all with dinner and drinks. (The ladies decide to give the jewelry back after the evening, but the guys keep their presents.) One time he gives Lisbon a pony for her birthday.

* The Dragonborn can potentially become a downplayed variant of this in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''. The dungeon crawling can eventually lead to a MoneyForNothing scenario, in which your character has literally millions of gold pieces and not enough {{Money Sink}}s to eat it all. Money can be contributed to the various temples and given to homeless beggars (there's at least one in every major city), and with the correct perk you can also invest in most of the businesses throughout the realm. This will ''still'' barely put a dent in your fortune, but it's something. Some players have actually gone so far as to devise mods which will allow you to give away more of your money.

* Shun Akiyama from ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza 4}}'' is a LoanShark by trade, but certainly doesn't act like your typical loan shark; he gives out generous amounts of money (as in, tens of ''millions'' of yen) to anyone that comes to him provided they can pass a SecretTestOfCharacter, and charges no interest or collateral for his loans. Heck, most of the time he doesn't even ''collect'' his debts and just goes back to handing out money. He's also the owner of a number of clubs and businesses around town, always treats his employees and partners with great respect, and (again) enjoys showering them with free money which he doesn't expect to get back. While it exasperates his secretary Hana to no end and pissess off the other loan sharks in town, Akiyama is just happy to have some success and wants to spread his good fortune to others however he can.
* Mansa Musa of Mali, in the sixth ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' game, will act this way in the diplomacy screen, fitting with his real life story and civ ability. When sending you a delegation, he will offer you such trifles as indigo cloth, kikeliba tea and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers one hundred porters carying sacks of gold dust]]. Oddly enough, the actual ''value'' of the gift he offers is the same as, say, when Teddy Roosevelt offers you apple pie.

* Stasia from ''WebComic/MarryMe'', who is a wealthy celebrity sensation, who also donates a large amount of her money regularly to various charitable organizations, and visits needy places in Africa on a whim.

%%* Jerrica 'Jem' Benton from ''WesternAnimation/JemAndTheHolograms'' fits here as well...and Howard Sands to a lesser degree.

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* Dolly Parton qualifies for this alongside WealthyPhilanthropist. On top of her numerous business and charities, she also owns and operates her own amusement park, her own water park, her own dinner theater, and her own spa resort.

* Mansa Musa, the Emperor of Mali in the 1300s, [[Fiction500 was so absurdly rich]] that even the wealthiest humans on modern Earth have only a fraction of what he once held to his name seven hundred years ago. He was also absurdly generous with his wealth, to the point that he literally ''[[ConspicuousConsumption threw bags of gold]]'' at passers-by while on pilgrimage to Mecca and gave away so much money during the trip that he tanked the value of gold in the world economy for a decade afterward.

* Mansa Musa, the Emperor of Mali in the 1300s, was so absurdly rich that even the wealthiest humans on modern Earth have only a fraction of what he once held to his name seven hundred years ago. He was also absurdly generous with his wealth, to the point that he literally ''[[ConspicuousConsumption threw bags of gold]]'' at passers-by while on pilgrimage to Mecca and gave away so much money during the trip that he tanked the value of gold in the world economy for a decade afterward.

* Eduard/Estonia from ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' is a Brother Pennybags. He has much more money and resources than his "brothers" Lithuania and Latvia due to tourism and is willing to help them out if they need bucks.

* Ayaka Yukihiro of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', willing to fund trips to the south seas, fly a dozen people to the UK, and entire festival games well into the millions, usually without being asked. At points, she will add in "My peasant friends" and the like to hold her RichBitch status. Her character assures that [[Creator/KenAkamatsu The Author]] has no unavailable plots.

* Naruto, of all people, become on in ''FanFic/KitsuneOnCampus'' when he [[spoiler: reintroduces Icha Icha series to the world by publishing it in Mahora]]. Needless to say, he does not comprehend. His money is used to fund part of the Mahora Festival, which he has absolutely no problem with.

* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY'': Roman Torchwick invokes this with Jaune's sister Lavender, figuring being the "cool uncle" and buying her stuff like an apartment is a safe way to make himself indispensable. She actually has far more money than him and could easily make do without him, but she allows the charade to continue because it's convenient.* * {{Downplayed}} in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12758410/8/Loud-10 Loud 10]]'' where Lincoln sells some of the crystals Diamondhead makes to buy Leni a car.

* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY'': Roman Torchwick invokes this with Jaune's sister Lavender, figuring being the "cool uncle" and buying her stuff like an apartment is a safe way to make himself indispensable. She actually has far more money than him and could easily make do without him, but she allows the charade to continue because it's convenient.* {{Downplayed}} in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12758410/8/Loud-10 Loud 10]]'' where Lincoln sells some of the crystals Diamondhead makes to buy Leni a car.

* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY'': Roman Torchwick invokes this with Jaune's sister Lavender, figuring being the "cool uncle" and buying her stuff like an apartment is a safe way to make himself indispensable. She actually has far more money than him and could easily make do without him, but she allows the charade to continue because it's convenient.

* Jed Clampett of the ''Series/TheBeverleyHillbillies'' could and has given away his fortune to a cause or person he finds worthy without batting an eye, much to Mr. Drysdale's chagrin. He also loves a party and is quite willing to pay for food and entertainment, though typically such falls along his tastes.

* Charles Dickens was fond of this trope. See the Cheeryble brothers in ''Nicholas Nickleby'', John Jarndyce in ''Bleak House'', and of course Ebenezer Scrooge after his reformation.

This is a person, usually male (if not, meet ''Aunt'' Pennybags), who, despite being ludicrously wealthy, is actually a fun guy to be around, even if you're dirt-poor. He's often an HonestCorporateExecutive, though occasionally he might be an AffablyEvil CorruptCorporateExecutive. He will often use his massive hoard of money to [[GoodSamaritan help people]]. Sometimes a SelfMadeMan; although in older works, he's more likely to be an UpperClassTwit who averts AristocratsAreEvil.

A SubTrope of IdleRich.

* Mansa Musa of Mali, in the sixth ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}} game, will act this way in the diplomacy screen, fitting with his real life story and civ ability. When sending you a delegation, he will offer you such trifles as indigo cloth, kikeliba tea and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers one hundred porters carying sacks of gold dust]]. Oddly enough, the actual ''value'' of the gift he offers is the same as, say, when Teddy Roosevelt offers you apple pie.

* Mansa Musa of Mali in ''VideoGame/{{Civilization 6}} will act this way in the diplomacy screen, fitting with his real life story and civ ability. When sending you a delegation, he will offer you such trifles as indigo cloth, kikeliba tea and [[OneOfTheseThingsIsNotLikeTheOthers one hundred porters carying sacks of gold dust]]. Oddly enough, the actual ''value'' of the gift he offers is the same as, say, when Teddy Roosevelt offers you apple pie.