The term Pin Money is now used to mean small amounts of money, but the sum wasn't always small. In the 1300s and 1400s, pins were very expensive. More then this, they were only allowed to be sold on the first two days of January. Husbands would give their wives money saved during the previous year for the purchase. However, though through time pins became ever cheaper and the money could be spent on other things, the expression remained.