Find a Penny, Pick it Up!

By: Kristin S. Adkins

Superstition says, “Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck!.” Did you know there are many different superstitions about finding pennies? I didn’t so of course, I took a dive into the world wide web on a search about the superstition behind finding pennies.

One of the more common superstitions is believed that when you find a penny in significant moments or in spiritual guidance periods of your life, they are believed that the coins can hold a spiritual message and serve as signs from the spiritual realm. Spiritual beliefs believe that pennies are like little notes from the universe that they are never alone. Other people believe that there are messages within the numbers on the penny. For example, finding a penny with your birth year on it could be interpreted as a sign that you are on the right path in life. The context in how you find the penny can always provide clues!

The superstition behind finding a penny and it bringing you good luck is considered an old folk belief. In this case, the idea that metal, regarded by many ancient cultures as quite valuable, was sent by the gods to protect those whom they favored. Penning being made from metal, find them and you’ll have good fortune!

This one reminding me of my article about cardinals a few weeks ago, some people believe that finding random pennies are actually placed there for us to find by loved ones who have passed away. They believe its our love one giving us a sign to let them know they’re okay. An anonymous quote reads, “When an angel misses you, they toss a penny down…sometimes to cheer you up, to make a smile out of your frown. So, don’t pass by that penny when you’re feeling blue; it may be a penny from Heaven that an angel tossed to you.” As you can see there are a lot of different superstitions when it comes to loved ones who have passed, as my article on cardinals also had a very similar meaning.

I’ve always thought when finding a penny that you only pick it up if it’s lying face up. I found out that goes back to ancient beliefs that there is a battle between good and evil. The heads on the penny became associated with good, while the tails became associated with evil or unlucky.

As you see, there are so many different superstitions about finding a penny here, there and everywhere. Just a little fun fact if you didn’t know, the first penny in the United States was minted in 1787 and was designed by Benjamin Franklin. It was called a Fugue and was made of 100% copper.