lustrum again

[Joel S. Berson]

At 10/16/2006 04:29 PM, you wrote:
>I've been using the word "lustrum" for about 25 years now.    But in my
>capacity of buying class rings from the public.
>
>When the price of gold skyrocketed in 1979/1980, Jostens and other ring
>makers had to come up with something cheaper.  Lustrum.  A white metal used
>to make class rings.

I thought that was gold-pressed Latinum -- or is Latinum dearer than gold?

Joel


>Thanks for the older meaning.
>
>Sam Clements
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org