Try reading a 19th century Horatio Alger novel for old-fashion word patterns like "in course" instead of "of course", now-forgotten 19th-century slang, and the original forms of words that are shortened today like "luncheon" for lunch and "omnibus" (because it was a public vehicle that everyone could ride, not a private vehicle) for bus.
Here's one for you: the U.S. government made the first nickel 5¢ coins in 1883. Before 1883, they were silver half-dimes. Today everyone calls a 5¢ coin a "nickel", although the U.S. government no longer uses nickel. What was the slang name for the half-dime before 1883?
Try reading a 19th century Horatio Alger novel for old-fashion word patterns like "in course" instead of "of course", now-forgotten 19th-century slang, and the original forms of words that are shortened today like "luncheon" for lunch and "omnibus" (because it was a public vehicle that everyone could ride, not a private vehicle) for bus.
Here's one for you: the U.S. government made the first nickel 5¢ coins in 1883. Before 1883, they were silver half-dimes. Today everyone calls a 5¢ coin a "nickel", although the U.S. government no longer uses nickel. What was the slang name for the half-dime before 1883?
And there used to be paper money under a dollar.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=10+CENT+FRACTIONAL+CURRENCY+1869+1875+LIBE...
Fred Patten