plug nickel
Counterfeit five cents
A plug nickel is a counterfeit or worthless coin—originally a nickel with its center drilled out and replaced with cheaper metal.
The term survives almost exclusively in the phrase not worth a plug nickel, meaning completely worthless: His promises aren't worth a plug nickel.
Having no worth
- worthlessLacking any value
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
- fakeNot the real thing
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
bogus · sham · dud · useless · trivial · insignificant · futile · meaningless
Idiomatic worthless sum
- two centsInformal term for opinion
- brass farthingSmallest former British coin
- hill of beansTrivial, worthless amount
- tinker's damnWorthless amount or thing
Belonging to earlier times
- nostalgicLonging for the past
- bygoneOf earlier times
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- vintageQuality from past eras
retro · dated · yesteryear · historical · old-timey · archaic · old-school · Americana
valueless
Having no worth
- worthlessLacking any value
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
- fakeNot the real thing
phony · bogus · sham · dud · useless · trivial · insignificant · futile · meaningless · pointless
red cent
Idiomatic worthless sum
- two centsInformal term for opinion
- brass farthingSmallest former British coin
- hill of beansTrivial, worthless amount
old-fashioned
Belonging to earlier times
vintage · retro · dated · yesteryear · historical · old-timey · archaic · old-school · Americana · nickelodeon
plug nickellegal tender
Officially recognized payment medium
real money · gold coin · hard currency · sound money · good money