9 Insane but True Facts about Currency

CXI December 6th, 2016

Did you know slang has been used to describe money for centuries? Giving us a wide range of expressions to use in reference to currency.

There's many slang expressions you've probably never heard of before. Here's a full list of 9 currency terms, the country of the term's origin, and its meaning.

1. Boodle - Origin: United States/United Kingdom

Meaning: UK/US term for ill-gotten gains. Originates from the Dutch ‘bodel’, meaning property or estate.

2. Brass - Origin: United Kingdom

Meaning: Northern English slang for money. Derived from "Where there's muck, there's brass”, in reference to scrap dealers.

3. Buck - Origin: United States

Meaning: One dollar. Derived from Pioneer times, when deer (or 'buck') skins were used as currency.

4. Cheese - Origin: United States

Meaning: Slang term for money. Derived from the fact Americans on welfare used to receive cheese as part of their benefits.

5. Monkey - Origin: United Kingdom by India

Meaning: London slang for £500. Derived from the 500 India Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey.

6. Quid - Origin: United Kingdom

Meaning: One British Pound. Derived from the Latin Quid Pro Quo, meaning 'one thing in exchange for another'.

7. Spondoolicks - Origin: United States/Ancient Greece

Meaning: Slang for money. Derived from the Greek Spondulys, meaning 'Shell', which were widely used as currency in ancient times.

8. Tudse - Origin: Denmark

Meaning: Danish for a 1,000Kr note, or a Tusind krone seddel. Tusind is then shortened to Tudse, which means ‘Toad’ in Danish.

9. Wonga - Origin: United Kingdom

Meaning: Slang for money. Derived from the Romani Wongar, meaning 'coal', which itself was used as slang for money in the 18th and 19th century.

About Currency Exchange International
Currency Exchange International (CXI) is a leading provider of foreign currency exchange services in North America for financial institutions, corporations and travelers. Products and services for international travelers include access to buy and sell more than 90 foreign currencies, multi-currency cash passport’s, traveler’s cheques and gold bullion coins and bars. For financial institutions, our services include the exchange of foreign currencies, international wire transfers, purchase and sale of foreign bank drafts, international traveler’s cheques, and foreign cheque clearing through the use of CXI’s innovative CEIFX web-based FX software www.ceifx.com

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