nimble as ninepence
Preserved but no longer current.
Silver ninepences were common till the year 1696, when all unmilled coin was called in. These ninepences were very pliable or "nimble," and, being bent, were given as love tokens, the usual formula of presentation being To my love, from my love. There is an old proverb, A nimble ninepence is better than a slow shilling.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “nimble as ninepence” mean?
Silver ninepences were common till the year 1696, when all unmilled coin was called in. These ninepences were very pliable or "nimble," and, being bent, were given as love tokens, the usual formula of presentation being To my love, from my love. There is an old proverb, A nimble ninepence is better than a slow shilling.
Is “nimble as ninepence” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.