He
“Oh
be my wife
I’m out to win;
You
bet your life
I’ve got some tin!”
She
“You
cannot win
My hand, alas!
You’ve
much of tin,
But none of brass.”
April
4, 1913
tin - first recorded as slang for money in the UK, mainly for silver coinage, in the mid 1800's, although the term seems to have become largely obscure by the 1960's. In the US meanwhile, tin came to mean a trifling or small amount of money by about 1920. tin - first recorded as slang for money in the UK, mainly for silver coinage, in the mid 1800s, although the term seems to have become largely obscure by the 1960s. In the US meanwhile, tin came to mean a trifling or small amount of money by about 1920. (note – this poem would show that estimated date to be in error)
brass - money. From the 16th century, and a popular expression the north of England, e.g., 'where there's muck there's brass' which incidentally alluded to certain trades involving scrap-metal, mess or waste, which to some offered very high earnings. This was also a defensive or retaliatory remark aimed at those of middle, higher or professional classes who might look down on certain 'working class' entrepreneurs or traders. The 'where there's much there's brass' expression helped maintain and spread the popularity of the 'brass' money slang, rather than cause it. Brass originated as slang for money by association to the colour of gold coins, and the value of brass as a scrap metal.
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