LOOSE CHANGE: NOVEMBER 17, 2024

When you say something "costs an arm and a leg," you're implying that the item is prohibitively expensive. But why do we reference those body parts instead of, say, "an ear and an eye" or "a toe and a tongue"? The idiom's origins are somewhat murky, and one of the earliest uses comes without much context. In 1576, an English translation of a Philippe de Mornay work about life and death made mention of how long and tedious actions may come "at the cost of an arme or a leg." The topic of the work implies the initial definition was more literal, and it had less to do with finances.

Another, albeit possibly apocryphal, theory dates back to 1680, when England's Charles II asked Sir Thomas Armstrong and Colonel George Legge to manufacture regal coinage for use in the Irish colony. This aspect of the story is historical fact, but it's an unconfirmed rumor that people would colloquially say that an item with a purchase price of a halfpenny "cost an Arm and a Legge," referring to the surnames of the two men who produced the coins. This is in no way verified, though it's one of the more widely professed origin stories behind the idiom.

To read the complete article, see:
Why Do We Say "Costs an Arm and a Leg"? (https://wordsmarts.com/costs-arm-leg/)

 

Canadian small cent production in the mid-1920s was anything but prolific, thanks to economic malaise and the plentiful supply of earlier cents on hand already. This led to the run of Canada small cents from 1922 through 1927 seeing mintages of well under four million, and several of these dates recorded fewer than two million strikes. The lowest-mintage of the six dates here is the 1925, which saw just barely over one million coins – 1,000,652, to be precise. While most collectors may stop short of calling the 1925 Canada cent a "rarity" in the absolute sense, it is by every measure no less a semi-key coin. That's certainly so when looking at that coin among the whole of the Canada small cent series, which ran from 1920 through 2012.

The 1920s Canadian cents on the whole look like a numismatic relic from another era, with their stately bust portrait of early 20th-century British monarch King George V. The reverse offers a rather simple device with the denomination "ONE CENT" and legend "CANADA" nestled in the center of the canvas amid two small maple leaves.

To read the complete article, see:
The Scarce 1925 Canada Cent (https://www.pcgs.com/news/the-scarce-1925-canada-cent)

 

We often take for granted the process of shelling out cash for food at the grocery store, setting aside regular amounts for the mortgage or rent, or spending a few extra bucks on a new shirt or shoes. These are the hallmarks of modern living — but they haven't always been.

Humans have been around for about 300,000 years, began banding together in settlements some 12,000 years ago, and set the foundations of major civilizations 5,500 years ago. So when did the all-encompassing presence of money enter the equation?

However it was introduced, ancient money generally fulfilled a few major guidelines: It served as a unit of exchange, represented a measure of value, enabled the payment of debts, and could be accumulated as a wealth reserve. Prior to the existence of metallic coins and (far later) paper cash, this meant the use of a wide array of items that fulfilled some combination of practical and ornamental function.

To read the complete article, see:
When Did People Start Using Money? (https://historyfacts.com/science-industry/article/when-did-people-start-using-money/)

Police departments have issued warnings about finding cash, urging people to just keep walking and not to touch it.

The Lane County Sheriff's Office in Kansas was one that sent out a warning to residents after an incident there. They posted on Facebook, "In recent years, there have been numerous reports of people discovering folded one dollar bills that contain illegal and potentially dangerous drugs. While using folded money or paper to transport drugs has long been a common practice, the emergence of substances like Fentanyl has made it exceptionally hazardous." The post continued, "Earlier this afternoon, a citizen contacted the on-duty Deputy to report that they had found a folded one dollar bill in their yard. Upon unfolding it, a white substance spilled out. The bill was confiscated and field tested positive for Methamphetamine. Further field tests for Opiates and Fentanyl were negative."

The post concluded, "It is important to remain vigilant about potential hazards in your surroundings."

To read the complete article, see:
If You See A Folded Dollar Bill On The Ground, Do Not Pick It Up (https://www.iheart.com/content/2024-11-13-if-you-see-a-folded-dollar-bill-on-the-ground-do-not-pick-it-up/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
LOOSE CHANGE: JUNE 19, 2022 : Folded $1 Bill Danger (https://www.coinbooks.org/v25/esylum_v25n25a34.html)

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