My 11-year old took his (holed) 2-cent piece in for a project at school. We researched the origins of the saying "throwing in your two cents", and it seems that there are several different opinions as to how this saying started. Variations: "You had to put your two cents in, didn't you?" "But that’s just my two cents." The early cost of postage in England (the "twopenny post") Poker games ("making a small bet, or ante, before beginning play") Derived from the 16th Century English expression, "a penny for your thoughts" Derived from "I said a penny for your thoughts, but I got two pennies' worth!" Derived from "If you don't put your two cents in, how can you get change?" Any other thoughts on how it might have started? Also, is this just an English/American idiom?
It probably came from "A penny for your thoughts." I can't count how many sayings have morphed over the years by people who couldn't remember the exact wording of the original saying. Of course, it does make sense that someone could derive "Your two cents worth." from "A penny for your thoughts." because two cents was probably the maximum capacity of their brain. Chris
The postage for a standard letter in England was one penny, from inception of the service in 1840 (the "Penny Black") for at least another 50-60 years.
I don't know the answer but I have this cool picture of "The Thinking Man" sculpture A penny for your thoughts
In Spanish, "A Penny for your thoughts" the translation is not the same. But we could or would say the following; Pagaría por saber en qué piensas - I would pay anything for your thoughts Que no daría por saber en que piensas - What I would not give for your thoughts
I support the notion it comes from the Bible passage relating to the poor widow who threw in her last two lepta. It got converted to mite in the King James version to make it "contemporary", but modern Bibles would update the story to penny. The reason for the update was the story was about a woman who donated two of the lowest value coins in circulation, so a penny, (or cent), would be the apt update. So, "throw in my two cents worth" would mean I contributed to an extent, but I know my contribution is probably not as valued or valuable as others. Exactly what the phrase means today really.
As a two cent collector I can't say for sure where that expression came from, but I've always liked George Carlin's use of it... "When someone asks you, A penny for your thoughts, and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?" George Carlin
