"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
news
>
> "The Ranger" > wrote
>
>> I've never heard of this one... And my Sainted Mother(tm) knew a lot
>> of them... What's the penny signify?
>
> That it's not a gift, you are paying for the knife. I gave knives
> to a friend at her bridal shower (they were on her list) and
> I had the gift wrapper tape shiny pennies to the blades so she
> could pay me.
>
> nancy

The reason I was given as a kid was that if you didn't pay the penny, the
friendship/relationship/family tie would be cut!

Dora