Date:  Fri, 6 May 1994 07:30:37 EDT

From:  David Muschell <dmuschel[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MAIL.GAC.PEACHNET.EDU>

Subject: Re: Case quarter



>A colleague of mine has asked about the distribution and derivation of

>the expression 'a case quarter' - as in, Do you have a case quarter?

>Meaning, an actual quarter, as opposed to (say) two dimes and a nickel.

>I myself don't recall ever having heard it before - the only thing

>I could find in the OED that's even remotely plausible is 'case' with

>tobacco, meaning 'in good physical condition', or 'case' in 'case-shot',

>meaning 'shot, of the kind that comes in cases ... Any ideas?

>

> -- Cathy Ball (cball[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]guvax.georgetown.edu)



Having taught in rural schools here in Georgia in the mid-70's, I also

found a common use of "Case dime" and "case nickel," meaning "encased" (ie.

not being two nickels, five pennies, or, in the quarter's "case," two dimes

and a nickel, etc.). It was a general request when students wanted an

appropriate coin for a telephone, Coke machine, candy machine... Having

been Atlanta-bred, when I first offered one student a variety of change

after the request, I was rebuffed with "No, a 'case' quarter!" as if I

should immediately know he wanted a whole coin.



--David Muschell (Georgia College)