The other day I found a boxed set of Cutco steak knives at an estate sale. They were priced right for resale so I added them to my bag of items.

Nothing out of the ordinary, really…. Cutco knives are popular and sell quickly on eBay. So, if I find them I buy them to resell.

What was interesting is that it turned out that after I got them home I found a hidden surprise tucked away under the lid. Two $2.00 bills and a couple of dollar coins.

Got me to thinking; “Isn’t there a tradition about giving money when you give knives as gifts?”

Sure enough, there is!

From the American Folklore Website: “In Folklore it is considered bad luck to give a gift of a knife so money is usually included for the recipient to “buy” the knife. The traditional amount to include with the knife (at least in the USA) is a penny.”