Question

What does the proverb a penny is a lot of money if you haven’t gotten a penny mean

Answer 1

A penny doesn’t matter to people with a lot of dollars but for someone who has nothing it means the whole world to have one

Answer 2

A proverb is a short sentence which aim is to provide an advice or say something to make the listener think or consider deeply.

I think that the proverb means that it is better to have at least something at hand rather than not have nothing at all.