case quarter

A 25-cent piece. NOT a combination of coins equaling 25 cents.

In the old days people used dollar coins. Some times they would cut them into 4 parts. (2 bits 4 bits). If someone wanted a dollar coin that was not in pieces, they would say "case dollar".This got refreshed several years ago. When some one walks up to you and they say, "Yo, you gots a case quarter?" most of the time they will have 2 dimes and 1 nickle.

A Black American dialectal term for a twenty-five cent piece. Still in current use in isolated areas: attested often in Middle Georgia.

When I worked at a Miami, Florida arcade in 1982, the kids would ask for a "cased quarter" when they needed a quarter in exchange for two dimes and a nickle. The arcade games only accepted quarters. "The Amusement Center at the Omni Hotel" on Biscayne Blvd mostly catered to the local urban kids, and they were the ones that used the slang. I thought it was great and it made my job easier, too! I see that "case quarter" is listed, but my experience was with "cased quarter" with a d, the kids explained to me that the dimes and nickles were "cased" into one coin.

A single American coin made of silver amounting to 25 cents or a quarter of a dollar.

A quarter is often incorrectly used to describe 25 cents whether it is 5 nickles, two dimes and a nickel or twenty five pennies.

A case quarter designates 25 cents as that which is manufactured as a single coin or a case.

In the 1980’s in Essex county, Nj, I worked in a restaurant where the wait staff was predominantly white and the dish room was predominantly black. (I maintain I was the last white American man to work as a dishwasher!) whenever any of my coworkers wanted a quarter for change they would always ask for a “case quarter.” No explanation was asked for, none given. But it was fairly widespread urban slang at least in the mid eighties in northern nj.

Just now, I’m watching an old film on tcm, “flying down to Rio”, and one of the principle characters asked another for a “case quarter” again looking for a 25 cent piece for smaller change. No further context given.

Brings back wonderful memories, as well as a few questions!

In the 1980’s in Essex county, Nj, I worked in a restaurant where the wait staff was predominantly white and the dish room was predominantly black. (I maintain I was the last white American man to work as a dishwasher!) whenever any of my coworkers wanted a quarter for change they would always ask for a “case quarter.” No explanation was asked for, none given. But it was fairly widespread urban slang at least in the mid eighties in northern nj.

Just now, I’m watching an old film on tcm, “flying down to Rio”, and one of the principle characters asked another for a “case quarter” again looking for a 25 cent piece for smaller change. No further context given.

Brings back wonderful memories, as well as a few questions!