[Ads-l] Antedating of "Phoney"

[Peter Reitan]

"Phoney ring," 1889, consistent with etymology from "fawney ring," a gilt, brass ring used in a con in which someone pretends to find a valuable ring,  and sells it at a seemingly good price to a duped witness.

>From the Wilmington (Delaware) Morning News. September 5, 1889, page 3.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34550951/the_morning_news/

"Sergeant Blackburn had a lively chase after a 'phoney ring' fakir, who was trying to work people at the Market street station of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, shortly after 6 o'clock last evening."
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From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of W Brewer <brewerwa at GMAIL.COM>
Sent: Sunday, August 4, 2019 7:04:38 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Antedating of "Phoney"

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Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster:       W Brewer <brewerwa at GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Antedating of "Phoney"
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FS:  << "This gang has succeeded in floating in the Twin Cities an immense
amount of the finest work of "phoney" plates and molds ever seen by the
officials." >>
GT:  << Plates for counterfeiting currency and molds for coins, I think. >>
WB:  Well, I'm sure it was a cabal of renegade dentists peddling
black-market dentures & tooth molds.

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