# Penny loafers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2001, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319 "2001-01-10T13:39:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/1 "2001-01-10T13:39:35Z")
[bombing comic] Whats the deal with these shoes? [/bombing comic] Was the slot in front specifically designed to hold pennies? If so, why? If not, where did the practice originate? ---
**Author:** ![hflathead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@hflathead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hflathead)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/2 "2001-01-10T14:55:38Z")
from J C Penny’s. If I remember correctly, they already had the penny in them. but a search turned up penny loafers in the 50’s, and seemed to reference girls and guys. I’ll do some asking around here with some of the older geezers, maybe they still have that brain cell left for origin of the term. You might be a Yuppie biker if you don’t ride to work coz you’ll scuff your penny loafers! Yo moma’s so poor, she put food stamps in your penny loafers! later, Tom. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/3 "2001-01-10T15:08:42Z")
Well, yes, according to this: [http://www.probert-encyclopaedia.com/A81.HTM](http://www.probert-encyclopaedia.com/A81.HTM) ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/4 "2001-01-10T18:43:53Z")
Teeming Millions…where are you? **omni-not** , I know what a penny loafer IS…but I’m still unclear on how the tradition of placing a penny into the slot came to be. Were the shoes designed with this in mind, or did someone else start the trend? [This](http://www.huntingtonclothiers.com/hc/basweejloaf.html) link says they were created in 1936 by George Henry Bass, but that still doesn’t answer my question. **hflathead** , Anything new to report? Anyone…anyone…Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/5 "2001-01-10T19:53:11Z")
I always heard that having a penny in your loafers meant your were available, or weren’t. Something like that. ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/6 "2002-06-12T15:31:17Z")
Someone referenced this thread, and their annoyance at not receiving an answer, in **Manhattan’s** sticky thread currently in GQ. Therefore… Created in the 30’s? If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say it might be related to the custom of jewelry in general; that is, you wear a little wealth on you, so you’re never broke. This being the Depression, it was probably even more of a practical thing – you’d always have those two pennies, for when times got really tough. ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-loafers/49319/7 "2002-06-12T15:55:13Z")
Wow! My 1.5 year old thread finally got an answer! Thanks, **occ**! Patience is a virtue… Now, lets try a 2 year old thread. Does anyone know the real answer to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=26181)? 😉