What's with the lucky Irish penny?

[brandm24]

Since being placed under "house arrest"...thankfully, without ankle bracelet... for the pandemic, I've had time to ponder weighty matters. Since I have no clue as how to solve the really important ones, like paying a mortgage and taxes at the same time or financing my wife's shoe collection, I settled on the age old question of "What's with the lucky Irish Penny?"

Basically, who decided that it's lucky and why. I haven't been able to identify the deep-thinker who declared it so, nor a definitive reason why. However, I've come across a group of possible explanations presented by other interested people like me.

Apparently, according to one source, "it is known throughout the world as the lucky Irish penny". No references are supplied to back that assertion though. I suppose we could compare that to a company declaring their widget "the best in the world" even though it likely isn't.

Another, offering one on Amazon, with a certificate of authenticity no less, declared they were considered lucky because only a small number survived after the collection and melting of the large pennies in the 1960's. Now, I don't know if that actually happened, but assuming it did, that might make the penny itself lucky but not necessarily the person who just spent $29 to buy one. Just the opposite really.

A third, and possibly most convincing explanation, is that the Irish harp is a symbol of luck. Hopefully, it is and we can rest easy knowing that we've solved the mystery. The image attached showing an encased example just doesn't look lucky to me...a bit worse for wear I think.

Now, does anyone have a solution as to how I might fund my wife's shoe collection? She already has more shoes than I have coins.

Cheers,

Bruce

[Figleaf]

Deploy your wife's shoe collection throughout the house, install a second hand turnstile at the front door. Make some signs proclaiming your house the World Shoe Museum. Now claim COVID-19 aid on account of having had to close the museum. Negotiate with tax inspector that, since the museum had to close, you cannot pay taxes, but you are offering the priceless shoe collection as collateral. Use COVID-19 aid to pay off mortgage. Use saved interest to pay off taxes. Offer shoe collection to the Imelda Marcos museum and live happily ever after. 

The Irish are considered lucky because they own a lot of whisk(e)y to drown their many sorrows. The symbol of their luck is the four-leaved clover, which looks like a harp when you are digesting an important amount of alcohol. Since counting to four is difficult when your sight is unsharp, a three-leaved shamrock will usually do.

Any more problems I can help with?

Peter

[WillieBoyd2]

Perhaps if one knew who made the shoes?



Shoemaker was a tradition occupation of a Leprechaun.

[brandm24]

Deploy your wife's shoe collection throughout the house, install a second hand turnstile at the front door. Make some signs proclaiming your house the World Shoe Museum. Now claim COVID-19 aid on account of having had to close the museum. Negotiate with tax inspector that, since the museum had to close, you cannot pay taxes, but you are offering the priceless shoe collection as collateral. Use COVID-19 aid to pay off mortgage. Use saved interest to pay off taxes. Offer shoe collection to the Imelda Marcos museum and live happily ever after. 

The Irish are considered lucky because they own a lot of whisk(e)y to drown their many sorrows. The symbol of their luck is the four-leaved clover, which looks like a harp when you are digesting an important amount of alcohol. Since counting to four is difficult when your sight is unsharp, a three-leaved shamrock will usually do.

Any more problems I can help with?

Peter

If Imelda Marcos were still around, my wife would have a mighty tussle over control of the collection, Peter. She can counter punch with the best of them. After all she's a redheaded Irish girl from Philly...a dangerous combination of cunning, stealth, and street brawler. Oh my!!

Your recommendations sound reasonable, but maybe I should run them past a cheap lawyer to be sure. My brother-in-law is one such creature...never passed the bar exam, mind you, but he reads a lot.

I do have some other things you can help me with but I'll get back to you later. Have to make a few calls right now.

Bruce

[brandm24]

Well, here's a few other things that confuse me.

The Irish 3d was given to me as a gift by a man in Ireland I recently bought a coin from. He said it was for good luck and that I should carry it with me at all times. That was a new one on me...another Irish coin for good luck. Thinking about it though, a rabbit's foot is considered good luck. Carrying the whole bunny with me should bode well for my good fortune, one would think.

Now onto some lucky (?) US money. Apparently so if you believe the advertisement. The lucky US penny...excuse me, cent... does the same for that denomination. I mean the tag says so. I'm confused!

BTW, my brother-in-law isn't answering his phone.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

The rabbit's foot thing is a myth. A rabbit's foot is bad luck. Consider what happened to the first owner. Limping at best.

The case for the US cent is clear, though but the origin is somewhat murky. There is a saying in Dutch that if you do not honour small things (like a wooden shoe) you are not worthy of big things (like a wooden windmill). You can observe this at Christmas, when women go for small packages and children for big packages. In addition, Lincoln Ultimately Caught a Knife spells LUCK! The fact that he didn't is irrelevant. Having two Lincolns on a coin is double luck, so it follows that this coin must be the most powerful lluucckkyy coin in the world.

The most balanced lucky coin is French though. See attachment. Lucky Luke is a French cartoon character. Pronounce the second U as the first to get an idea of how it sounds in French. Double luck again. But on the other side, you have Joe, William, Jack and Averell ... wait for it, drum roll please ... Dalton! The ever losing bad guys of the cartoon, different in size only, always in for bad luck. Great balance.

Peter

[brandm24]

Well, I agree about the rabbit...bad luck for the furry little thing.

You're dazzling me with the rest, Peter. I'll have to brush up on Lucky Luke and the Dutch" big package, small package" thing, and even the Lincoln knife connection until I have some semi-rational comments to make.

Maybe I'll call my brother-in-law.

Cheers,

Bruce