MetaChat - Ask Mecha: Why do people hammer coins into dead trees.

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19 October 2007

Ask Mecha: Why do people hammer coins into dead trees. I've seen this a few times and it has me puzzled. Anyone know why people hammer coins into dead trees? Is it for luck? To kill the tree? Why?

post by: seanyboy at: 02:21 | 8 comments

Wishes? Feeding the tree (as in a tithe for the dead)? Hatred of pennies?

posted by ethylene 19 October | 02:23

Good lord, that was my 9000th comment.
Of course it had to made while having an unbelievably frustrating conversation with a guy who can make potable water appear out of thin air but is unable to use a calendar.
Typical.

posted by ethylene 19 October | 03:27

No answer about the coins but holy crap! you went to Airton! My grandma lives there!

posted by altolinguistic 19 October | 04:03

It seems to be for luck.

posted by Memo 19 October | 05:26

Thanks memo.
The phrase "Wish Tree" is all I needed.
According to the tubes, the particular stumps I saw were for wishes to a fairy Queen called Jennet.

posted by seanyboy 19 October | 05:41

I thought that waterfall in your pictures might have been Janet's Foss - I remember going there as a kid, though I didn't know the story behind it, or I don't remember it, in any case.

posted by altolinguistic 19 October | 05:56

It was the style at the time.

posted by mullacc 19 October | 09:44

Wow, that's awesome. I've never seen that before. This is the kind of thing that fascinates me - thank you for bringing it up.

posted by Miko 19 October | 10:04

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