Abe Lincoln

English

A five-dollar bill (sense 1)
A penny (sense 2)

Etymology

From the portrait of Abraham Lincoln featured on them.

Noun

Abe Lincoln (plural Abe Lincolns) (US, slang)

  1. A United States five-dollar bill.
    Synonyms: Abe, Abraham Lincoln (rare), Lincoln
    • 1958, Langston Hughes, Tambourines to Glory, New York, N.Y.: Harlem Moon, Broadway Books, published 2006, →ISBN, pages 91–92:
      I could do with a little change myself tonight—a few Abe Lincolns and some tens.
    • 1989, Chris Crutcher, Chinese Handcuffs, New York, N.Y.: Greenwillow Books, →ISBN, page 52:
      He knew he’d probably drop a couple of Abe Lincolns or maybe even an Andrew Jackson on bets, as Preston fanned down a row of cans and bottles while his bullets strayed harmlessly into tree trunks and Mother Earth, but any connection was worth it.
    • 2002, Robyn Flipse with Marisa Bradanini and Marchelle Bradanini, Fighting the Freshman Fifteen: A College Woman’s Guide to Getting Real About Food and Keeping the Pounds Off, New York, N.Y.: Three Rivers Press, →ISBN, page 133:
      Whether flush with funds or down to your last few Abe Lincolns, there is something below to help make your day without overextending your caloric account.
    • 2009, Lynn Brunelle, Jim Brunelle, Delia Greve, Sandra Will, Scholastic 2010 Almanac for Kids: Facts, Figures, & Stats, New York, N.Y.: Scholastic Inc., →ISBN, page 213:
      If you had four Ulysses S. Grants, two Andrew Jacksons, a William McKinley, and five Abe Lincolns in your pocket, how much money would you have?
    • 2013, Kirby Larson, Hattie Ever After, New York, N.Y.: Ember, Random House Children’s Books, →ISBN, page 210:
      “You must see what I’ve found.” She snatched up the books and held them out. “You and Chester and your books. He couldn’t bear to part with these. Me, I have no such sentiments about the things. Words, words, words. Who needs them? Give me a stack of Abe Lincolns any day. That’s knowledge enough for me.” She held the books out. “I want you to have them.”
    • 2015, Treasure Hernandez, Blake Karrington, T.C. Littles, Girls From da Hood 10, Wyandanch, N.Y.: Urban Books, →ISBN:
      Handing her the stack of twenty-dollar bills, he regretted even promising her more than the few Abe Lincolns to his name.
    • 2020, RAMA, Teach Me Something, Mister, Conneaut Lake, Pa.: Page Publishing, Inc., →ISBN:
      I assumed that $20 or so, maybe even $50, might be buried somewhere in the bulky and well-worn schoolbag. Certainly, the bag needed a thorough cleaning. This kid kept house much the same as a Seventh Grade kid might. Well, there was not just a few Abe Lincolns but […]
  2. (rare) A penny (United States coin).
    Synonym: Abraham Lincoln (rare)
    • 2001 September 5, Jonathan Harper, “Favorite What If?”, in rec.arts.comics.marvel.universe‎[1] (Usenet), archived from the original on 21 June 2025:
      For a minute I though we were talking about the "What The!?" series. That would have to be the one with Toast Rider and his Pennies stare. There's just something about a flaming piece of toast riding the highway shooting Abe Lincolns out of his eyes. HA! HA!.
    • 2007, Native American Casino, volume 7, page 18:
      When we think about penny slot machines, the first thing that comes to mind is the image of inserting a few “Abe Lincolns” into the machine and spinning the wheel in hopes of winning a few bucks.
    • 2013 October, David A. Marshall, “Playing ‘Cut the Pie’ at Grammar School”, in Living on the Cusp: A Memoire, Victoria, B.C.: FriesenPress, →ISBN, chapter III, page 125:
      Remember, a penny in 1941 was worth the same as about twenty cents today. Several delicious black or red licorice sticks could be purchased for one Abe Lincoln.

Derived terms

Further reading

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