Why You Should Put a Coin on Your Porch This New Year's Eve

For many of us, we see the start of a new year as an opportunity for a fresh start if the previous year wasn't the greatest. Or, if the previous year was pretty decent, January 1st is a chance to hope our good fortune will carry over into the next 12 months. To help make that happen, you may give a popular New Year's superstition a try regardless of which side of the "coin" you're on (pun 1,000% intended). While there are many to choose from, I just learned about one recently involving a coin and...your front porch?

The New Year's Superstition of Putting a Coin on Your Porch

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Google "new year's superstitions," and you'll get nearly seven million results listing a wide variety of superstitions. Several of which you've probably heard of, or have even tried like the popular kissing at midnight. There's also eating black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck and not crying as the clock strikes 12:00 AM on the 1st to avoid a year filled with sadness, among others.

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I had never heard of the superstition of putting a coin on your porch on New Year's Eve until recently when Taylor Merriss from the Evansville Police Department admitted to doing it during her weekly visit to the studio. When I asked her why she said it was to bring good luck for the new year. After she left, I did a little research and learned that's not exactly right, but she wasn't too far off track.

According to a January 2020 blog post on the Atlas Cruises & Tours website, the tradition of putting coins out on New Year's Eve started in Scotland however, that tradition involved placing coins on window sills all around your home. Putting one on your porch, like Taylor mentioned, can be traced back to Germany. Although, that superstition states the coin should be placed under your doormat. In both cases, you're supposed to collect the coins at some point the next day. Regardless of which one you choose, the purpose is the same; to bring you money for the new year.

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Does it work? Like any superstition, there's only one way to find out. Give it a try and let me know how your bank account looks on December 31st.

[Sources: Cosmopolitan / Country Living / Parade / Atlas Cruises & Tours]