fairy gold
Treasure turns worthless
Fairy gold is treasure from folklore that appears valuable but turns to worthless material—leaves, ashes, or nothing—when examined later.
The term describes any gain that proves illusory or temporary: His inheritance turned out to be fairy gold, eaten up by debts and taxes.
The concept captures the deceptive nature of apparent windfalls.
- leprechaunMischievous Irish sprite
- wee folkMythical tiny humanoids
- treasureValued wealth or keepsake
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- glamourFascinating, elegant attractiveness
enchanted · coins · vanishing · morning light · trickster · mischief · fae · moonlight · deception · silver tongue · glittering · hollow · cursed · leaves · dust · bargain · changeling · twilight
- Fairiesfaeries, good folk, wee folk, good people, Tinker Bell
- hidden treasurepirate loot, sunken chest, sunken treasure, treasure chest, hidden wealth
- Fairy Loresprites, pixies, goblins, Titania, Oberon
- magical substancesmana, ichor, ambrosia, nectar, ether
- metal folklorealchemy, cold iron, magic swords, philosophers stone, transmutation
- Irish Fairiesbanshee, leprechaun, pooka, changeling, good folk
fairy goldsolid gold
Entirely of precious yellow metal
old money · generational wealth · nest egg · heirloom · tangible assets
fairy goldthe real thing
Authentic original version
substance · true worth · good faith · hard cash · coin of the realm
fairy, gold, fairies, fairylike, fairyland, golden, goldish, golds, gilded