Where does the term "pin money" come from?

Question

I've heard of "pocket money", where does "pin money" come from?

Answer 1

The term has nothing to do with ordinary household sewing. Pins of the sewing sort were not mass produced until the 1900s; until then, no such thing could be made cheaply enough to be used in dressmaking.

Rather, it refers to the type of pin that a lady wears for jewelry -- particularly a hatpin or a stickpin, now no longer in fashion. From early times, "pin" was used for all the small and often expensive items of cosmetic and costume jewelry a lady of standing might have. And jewelry is not cheap! In fact, these pins could so expensive that a 1542 will gave the heir money to buy pins. ("I give my said daughter Margarett my lease of Kirkdall Chirche.. to buy her pinnes withal.")

These jewelry pins were important for another reason. For the most part a wife could not own property; everything she owned belonged to her husband. Her jewelry, however, was hers. So "pin money can be said to be the first traditional grant of woman's rights."

Answer 2

Pin Money

Answer 3

The term comes from a century or so ago. Pins were handmade, and very costly. Most women made their own clothes, or at least did a great deal of sewing. Ergo, they had to save money to buy pins - and that's where it comes from...

Answer 4

Mario, Link, Metroid, Super Smash Bros, Mario Bros, Mario Kart.