Ten bob note

[hardstaff]

Bent as a ten bob note, where does that phrase come from?

[sft42]

I think you'll find the expression is "Bent as a nine bob note" meaning that something is an unconvincing forgery or not conforming to the rules....a ten bob note did exist so it wouldn't make sense to use it as an example here.

[IndieSinger]

My parents always say "Queer as a nine bob note", which makes slightly more sense. If it existed, it would be strange/queer.

[darth vader]

queer is oldshpeak for being gay. (the homosexual population took up the name gay - Good As You - because they were fed up with being called queers)

[IndieSinger]

But why would a ten bob note be homosexual?

[darth vader]

you're winding me up aren't you? :-)

[TigerShark]

Some comments on the answers, as well as clarification on the question! As with most offensive terms, "queer" was not originally used to describe gay people but simply meant odd, weird, strange, etc. Furthermore, the word "gay" is not an acronym for "good as you"! It is another old english word and it originally just meant "happy". "Gay" also became a term for homosexuals (although I'm not sure if it was particularly derogatory like queer or fag) but was "reclaimed" by the gay community. Attempts have been made to do the same with other words but these efforts have not been so effective and certainly "queer" retains a sharp edge when used in this way. Some older people still use these words in their original context but most people today will recognise them much more quickly as a reference to gay people. To get back to the expression in question, the original saying is "bent as a nine bob bit". Clearly the letter b adds useful illiteration to the expression so it's odd how it has become corrupted into the other less-memorable forms mentioned such as "queer as..." although they are all pretty much the exact same thing as long as you stick with the number 9! To explain, "bent" is yet another word that is used to describe a gay person but it actually has a wider meaning and refers to anything dodgy or illegal such as stolen goods or, more commonly, corrupt officals. Being gay was, and in many parts of the world still is, outlawed of course so this application of the term is just as valid. A bent policeman might therefore be gay, corrupt, or both! A one bob bit was a 5 pence coin, a ten bob bit a 50 pence coin. Nine bob bits (45 pence coins) did not exist so such a coin would be a forgery, and therefore bent. If something is as bent as one of them, it just means there is something dodgy about it.

[TigerShark]

Correction - I meant to say "alliteration", not "illiteration", above!!! Hope you all like the extra info anyway...