Love to collect coins? Here are ten fascinating superstitions about coins, making wishes, and bringing good luck.
1. New Homes and Additions
When building a new home or putting on an addition, put a few pennies or other coins with the current year into the foundation for good luck. I lived in an old farmhouse for many years. At the door, old pennies were pressed into the mortar around the stones. It brought luck to the home and luck each time we went in and out the door.
2. Wishing Wells
Toss a penny or any coin into a well and make a wish. In Ireland, fairies live in the old wells and, in exchange for a gift of coin, will grant wishes. Wishes are also made on coins tossed into fountains and tossed over cliffs.
3. Coin With a Hole or Bent
To find a coin that has a hole in it or is bent is extremely lucky. Keep the lucky coin on your person always so that it can continue to bring you good fortune.
4. Coin From Heaven
You have probably heard of pennies from heaven, but this superstition goes far back into ancient history. Any coin found on the ground during or immediately after a rain storm is believed to be a gift from the gods. A coin from the heavens is extremely lucky and should be kept for life.
5. Heads Up
If you find a coin on the ground, pick it up if it is heads up. If it’s tails up, spit on it before picking it up to avoid any bad luck. You can also flip the coin around so that it is heads up for the next person to pick it up and you both will be lucky for the day.
6. Full Moon Wish
On the night of the full moon, turn a silver coin around inside your pocket as you look at the moon and make your wish.
7. Birth Year
A coin bearing your birth year will bring you luck. Keep it tucked safe inside your wallet or purse.
8. Gifting
When you gift a purse or a wallet, always put a coin inside it before giving it. This will ensure that the other person will always have money to fill it.
9. Jar of Pennies
A jar full of pennies should always be hidden inside one of the kitchen cabinets. It ensures that the cabinets will never be bare and that there will always be food.
10. Baby Clutch
This superstition was around back when I was little. What old timers would do is put a coin in a baby’s hand. If the baby held onto the coin tightly, it would have a lot of money when it grew up. If it immediately dropped the coin, the baby would be a spender.
