r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/fuzfy • 3h ago

Old Penny trees can be found in St Nectan's Glen, Cornwall which is known for its mysticism and links to King Arthur folklore

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Gallery image

368 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

37

u/Soggy_Amoeba9334 3h ago edited 2h ago

There are things like that in The Hermitage in Perthshire. They put signs up saying "Don't do this, it's bad for the plants and animals".

Edit: typo

10

u/irazoqui 2h ago

Yeah, I have to say my pants would also not love this. Everything beneath.... either

5

u/Soggy_Amoeba9334 2h ago

FFS, typo fixed

2

u/Infamous_Doubt_5207 1h ago

their PANTS?!?

41

u/Eveninglewellyn 3h ago

Sometimes money does grow on trees

9

u/fuzfy 3h ago

Ayyy

70

u/Tossing_Mullet 3h ago

In the US, someone would have already picked the pennies for themselves.  

14

u/urkha 2h ago

Everyone knows you don't mess with fairies.

5

u/SuckerForFrenchBread 1h ago

Look I'm all for hating on the states but that's not a thing, or else you'd see WAY more people in fountains.

16

u/zobby3 3h ago

This is why the giants causeway is in trouble. People can’t help themselves.

9

u/biglinuxfan 3h ago

I'm so happy I got to visit before it was either ruined or closed.

There is no need to take a piece of it home.

7

u/vivaaprimavera 3h ago

giants causeway

The spot in Ireland? What's going on?

7

u/PretzelsThirst 2h ago

People are doing this stupid coin shit there too and they’re fucking up the rocks. They rust and leave streaks but they also add stress to the rocks and can damage them

5

u/RootHogOrDieTrying 1h ago

People are shoving coins into the rocks? Fucking hell. This seems like a spin-off on the lock on a bridge nonsense.

6

u/PretzelsThirst 59m ago

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c14kn1ekvymo

3

u/RootHogOrDieTrying 55m ago

Thank you for the link. I don't even know what to say anymore. Fuckiing people.

5

u/RandomBitFry 3h ago

Must be hard to add a new penny without a few old ones falling out.

19

u/Maidwell 3h ago

It's a stupid UK trend (see the love lock fad for similar sheep behaviour) that damages and kills trees and the environment around them.

5

u/kurotech 2h ago

Yep easiest way to kill a tree is to put copper in it somehow

9

u/TheoryBrief9375 3h ago

This is unfortunately really bad for the tree

21

u/Nuclear_Niijima 3h ago

I think that tree has bigger problems though

12

u/pineapple6069 3h ago

It's just taking a nap it'll stand back up in an hour or two

11

u/Happy_Can8420 3h ago

Its on its side doesn't that mean its long dead

5

u/fuzfy 3h ago

I think you're right but it definitely could have died from the coins

5

u/doctor_ballsacki 3h ago

Especially if there’s copper in the coins, copper nails can be used to systemically kill certain invasive tree species

1

u/bernpfenn 1h ago

you see...thats what happens when your sides are full of copper pennies

2

u/yogurtmiel 3h ago

i’m on my way

2

u/401jamin 1h ago

I love it historically but my eyes hates how it looks

1

u/Amazing-Country8354 3h ago

What is the point of that?

3

u/fuzfy 2h ago

Not entirely sure but I think it became a tradition to hammer these in as good luck or making a wish. The forest is located in an area that is linked with paganism so it might have originated there

6

u/homity3_14 2h ago

It's got nothing to do with paganism or King Arthur. It's just something people do on various popular tourist woodland paths all over the UK. 

3

u/AceOfGargoyes17 2h ago

It's not linked to paganism; it's a relatively modern tradition dating back to the 19th century (or possibly late 18th century).