Uncle Scrooge (1952) 3

To quote Clint Eastwood, “Do you feel lucky, punk?”

If so, today is your day. Today is National Lucky Penny Day.

With inflation, it may be hard to believe good luck in finding a lone penny. Materials cost more to create the coinage than it is worth. Many societies have even done away with the denomination.

Where the term came from is more a mystery than why pennies continue to be minted. The superstition of finding a “lucky” penny is not. Many cultures have their own origins. In Ireland and northern Europe, the belief is that if a penny is found it is to be given to someone else – heads up – so the good luck may be passed along.

Maybe it can better be explained by marrying superstition with religion. The penny, or one cent, may represent the oneness of God.

Walt Disney Uncle Scrooge 212 (a copy of the original Uncle Scrooge 3 could not be found)

What could be considered luckier is the dime.  Ten represents completeness. A dime – or 10 – is a one and a zero which equals one; or returning back to the unity and completion, a return to completeness.

Ten also represents universal creation, heaven, the key and the highest integrity.

By stretching the logic of the above three paragraphs we come to our host of ceremonies, Uncle Scrooge.

In addition to his frugalness and love of adventure, he is also known for his lucky, or number one, dime. The Number One Dime is the first coin that Scrooge McDuck ever earned. None of the stories associated with the dime state whether it actually brings luck or if Scrooge merely believes it does. The Number One Dime first appeared in Uncle Scrooge issue three.

The 1875 Seated Liberty dime was earned in 1877 by Scrooge in his hometown of Glasgow, Scotland. He was a 10-year old shoeshine boy at the time. Since then, it has been the focus of every Magica De Spell story to date. Her belief is the dime possess magical powers and will help augment hers.

But, enough about the miserly mallard.

Today, keep your eyes downcast for that lucky penny. When found, pass it along to another to keep the good fortune flowing.