Did you know? 🔍The expression "hard cash"

The term "hard cash" dates back to a time when coins were made from precious metals, such as gold and silver. At that time, it was common to check their authenticity by weighing them. ⚖️

The term "sounding" refers to the characteristic sound of metal coins when struck or thrown on a hard surface. If the sound was "right", it indicated that the coin was indeed made of precious metal and not a fake.

As for "trébuchante" , it comes from the use of a specific scale, called a "trébuchet", which allowed the exact weight of the piece to be checked . If the piece was too light or too heavy, it was immediately suspected of being falsified.

💬 Did you know that this method was essential to avoid counterfeiting? Today, even if the expression remains common, it recalls a time when each transaction was closely scrutinized!

Sources:

- BnF - The Essentials: https://essentiels.bnf.fr/.../ee9b2a8d-fed5-4783-9400...

- The Internet user: https://www.linternaute.fr/.../des-especes-sonnantes-et.../

Illustration:

Money changer box with trebuchet (Strasbourg Historical Museum) - By Ji-Elle — Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10085460