Where Did the Tradition of Putting Coins in Your Shoes Come From?

About a week ago, my mom shared a really funny question from social media. This particular question was clearly geared to the Baby boomer generation? It asked- "Does anyone remember having to carry a quarter for the pay phone, just in case?" My mom shared that post with a couple of anecdotes of her own.

She wrote, "I'm so old that my Mom used to make me put a dime (yelp, that was the cost of a phone call back in my teenage years), when I went on a date. Later on, she used to tape a quarter in all her shoes in case she needed it for a phone call. Times have definitely changed."

She's not wrong. Times, because of the influx of cell phones into our culture and daily lives, have definitely changed. This younger generation doesn't have a clue what a pay phone is. They've likely never seen or even heard of one.

However, the idea of putting a coin inside a shoe has been around for centuries. In fact, the origins of that tradition, which date back to ancient Rome, have nothing to do with pay phones at all. So, why in the heck have people been walking around the globe with change in their shoes?

According to IsItGoodLuck.com, the Romans believed a coin in a shoe could bring good luck and prosperity. I know it sounds ridiculous. To me, the thought of a coin in a shoe sounds like a blister waiting to happen.

But, look! It kinda makes sense. A coin was a tangible, monetary symbol of wealth. A shoe, by design, provides grounding and stability. Put the two together and it was believed you could ward off negative influences and be #blessedbeyondmeasure.

Irish folklore has taken this tradition another step further. Check this out!

Hey, congratulations to the happy bride and groom. Hey, Mrs. What's Your Face, now put this quarter in your shoe.

I personally find this whole thing bizarre. I am pretty sure I can put a quarter in my tennis shoe and I'm not going to wake up any richer or more prosperous. If anything, I'm likely going to be perpetually annoyed that I can feel something rattling around in my shoe. So, this tradition is a hard pass for me. I'll just continue being a proud member of the middle class who doesn't feel like he's going insane because a dead president is fumbling around inside his sneaker.