<P> Scrip and tokens have often been issued locally in times of severe economic distress such as financial crises and the Civil War . During the Depression, a local bank in Tenino, Washington, issued emergency currency printed on thin shingles of wood . Blaine, Washington, soon did the same with both flat scrip and, in response to requests generated by news and word of mouth, coins that included a 5 - cent piece . The Chicago World's Fair in 1933 issued wooden nickels as souvenirs, and the tradition of wooden nickels as tokens and souvenirs continues to the present day . </P> <P> In more recent times, wooden nickel trading has become more popular . Individuals can have their own personalized token made and then trade with others who also have had their own made . This is especially popular in geocaching . </P> <P> An American adage, "Don't take any wooden nickels" is considered a lighthearted reminder to be cautious in one's dealings . This adage, too, precedes the use of wooden nickels as a replacement currency, suggesting that its origins lie not in the genuine monetary value of nickels but rather in their purely commemorative nature . </P>

Where did the expression don't take any wooden nickels come from