Etymology Journal ยท D
Don't take any wooden nickels
Meaning
- A classic way to tell someone to stay alert and not let people cheat or trick them. It essentially means do not be a gullible fool.
Old-fashioned, cautionary
Used in a sentence
- You are heading to the big city now, so watch your back and don't take any wooden nickels.
- That salesman sounds too good to be true, so don't take any wooden nickels.
- I am off to the flea market, and I promise I will not take any wooden nickels.
The backstory
This saying dates back to at least the nineteenth century when counterfeit coins were a real problem. Since no one would ever mint a nickel out of wood, it serves as a metaphor for an obvious scam.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check