Simoleon (1883)

[Jonathan Lighter]

I've never heard of a "simon."

  Maybe it was originally a belnd of "Uncle _Sam_" and "napoleon."

  JL

Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Bapopik at AOL.COM
Subject: Simoleon (1883)
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I forgot what we had for this "origin unknown."
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_THAT WONDERFUL DOLLAR.; A Silver "Samoleon" with a Plug of Gold. _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=568160212&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=10&VInst=PRO
D&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1132716562&clientId=65882)
G. Boston Daily Globe (1872-1960). Boston, Mass.: Feb 13, 1891. p. 3 (1
page)
...
_OUR ASH WIELDERS.; Ball Players' Path Not RoseStrewn. Life Upon the
Road--Terrors to Boarding Mistress. How Victory or Defeat Affects the
Team--Base-Running Dangers. ... Ball Carefully Laid Training Becomes More Serious. Not to
Irregular Habits Life Looks Very Rosy. Playing Ball is Hard Work _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=571368622&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&V
Type=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1132716805&clientId=65882)
JOHN MONTGOMERY WARD. Boston Daily Globe. Sep 9, 1888. p. 18 (1 page)
("Simoleon" is here somewhere.)
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_The Salem Daily News_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=ssVO2f5ZuruKID/6NLMW2tlzx9Y6bZnB04whH7M9usYYi59hdc/tUg==) _Thursday,
November 07, 1889_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=simoleons+AND+date:1889-11-07) _Salem,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=simoleons+AND+cityid:25614+AND+stateid:73+AND+range:1753-1893) _Ohio_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=simoleons+AND+stateid:73+AND+ran
ge:1753-1893)
...strong or weak, and schemers bold or SIMOLEONS speak I Some men have
truths..
...

_The Davenport Gazette_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=QIApIoRPQIyKID/6NLMW2i5vC+waNjXksl0em/Gc4fMucKxgLAHQnUIF+CsZYmrz) _Tuesday, June
26, 1883_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=simoleons+AND+date:1883-06-26) _Davenport,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=simoleons+AND+cityid:7035+AND+stateid:39+AND+range:1753-1893) _Iowa_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=simoleons+AND+stateid:39+AND+r
ange:1753-1893) ...unto Mr. and did offer to him manv fat SIMOLEONS and
tal- ents of gold and..
...
...
(OED)
simoleon
A dollar.
1896 _G. ADE_ (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-a.html#g-ade) Artie
vii. 63 He said I could have it for four hundred samoleons. 1913 _C. E.
MULFORD_ (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-m4.html#c-e-mulford) Coming of
Cassidy vii. 112 Sixty-two bucks, three score an' two simoleons; all I've
got, every cent. 1952 _A. LOMAX_
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-l2.html#a-lomax) Mister Jelly Roll 194 By the late twenties the golden simoleons
began rolling in. 1977 D. ANTHONY Stud Game i. 8, I bet the limit, five
thousand simoleons.
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...
_http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19960715_
(http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19960715)

The deal is, someone doesn't know how to spell. The slang word simoleon 'a
dollar' is found in all major college dictionaries, spelled that way. It's
usually considered somewhat old-fashioned, but is still in use.
The word's origin is uncertain. The most widely accepted theory suggests that
it's a blend of simon, an obsolete slang term for a dollar, and napoleon, a
gold coin of France that was worth 20 francs.
"Simoleon" is first found in the very late 19th century and is an Americanism
through and through.




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