Chances are good that you have one in your pocket. It might be small and it might be made

of common elements, but there's something ubiquitous about the good old penny.

The very first large one-cent coin produced by the American government was struck in 1793,

and because only about 1,000 of them were ever made, anyone who finds one should feel incredibly

fortunate. But luck has followed these little coins for a lot longer, and the folklore

we have today is absolutely rich.

Some people believe that carrying a penny in their pockets will attract new wealth. Others

believe it needs to be three pennies. Some old wives' tales suggest keeping that penny

in your shoe instead, and recommend placing one in the crib of a newborn to help them grow

up to be wealthy and wise. And then of course, there are wishing wells, where pennies become

avatars of our deepest desires. Some people just toss them in as if they're dropping a pebble,

while others believe you need to do it with your back to the well and toss the coin over

your shoulder. And honestly, the list could go on and on.

We humans have collected a lot of fears over the many thousands of years we've been around,

fear of death, or hunger, or loneliness, or illness, fear of poverty and pain and not

fitting in. So it's no wonder that along the way, we've settled on some very unique

ways of managing those fears.

But while the folklore surrounding lucky coins is all about attracting good things, the vast

majority of superstitions out there are different. They are beliefs designed to repel danger

and suffering, either by watching for ominous signs, or by actively tripping up the evil

forces that might deliver the worst that life has to offer.

Many of these superstitions have been with us for a very long time, and while they can

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