Three-dollar bill (1948)

[Sam Clements]

I'm truly amazed that an expression using "three dollar bill" in a manner
that implied phoney, rare, queer or anything else doesn't appear in the
popular press until 1948.

Three dollar banknotes were not uncommon in the pre-Civil War days in the
US, but when the Federal government starting isssuing banknotes in 1862,
that was the end of private notes.  The Feds never printed a $3.

So, why did it take until 1948 to say that something was as
phoney/queer/rare/strange as a three dollar bill?

Sam Clements
----- Original Message -----
From: <Bapopik at AOL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 3:29 PM
Subject: Three-dollar bill (1948)


>    "Three-dollar bill" was mentioned in the "football bat" discussion.

> Edwardsville Intelligencer - 6/16/1948
> ...demonstrAtion mAy be AS phoney AS A THREE-dollAr BILL but it mAy Also
> continue for AS.....AS being unAmericAn, wAS the fAther of THREE World WAr
II
> veterAns, one of whom wAS.....brAn. Hunting And fishing Are
multimillion-dollAr
> businesses, topping All sports In.....Announced he would offer An
Anti-lynching
> BILL AS An Amendment to the OleomArgArine TAx..
> Edwardsville, Illinois Wednesday, June 16, 1948  646 k