Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Bristol The Nails

The Nails

17th-century merchants in Bristol nailed their deals by placing money on these pedestals.

Bristol, England

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Nails outside Bristol’s Corn Exchange.   NotFromUtrecht/CC BY-SA 3.0
One of the nails at Bristol.   Rod Ward/Public Domain
Two of the nails on Corn Street.   David Hallam-Jones/CC BY-SA 2.0
They are an important part of mercantile history.   David Hallam-Jones/CC BY-SA 2.0
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
The Nails   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
The Nails   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

According to locals, the saying “cash on the nail,” meaning an immediate payment, may have originated in the city of Bristol, England.

Located outside the Corn Exchange building on Corn Street are four bronze pedestals called The Nails. They were moved here from their original location on Tolzey Walk, a covered area alongside All Saints Church. The pedestals were used by merchants to negotiate over while making deals and possibly to display samples of the wares up for sale. When the deal was done, payment was made by placing money on a nail, hence the term "cash on the nail."

However, while many Bristolians believe this to be the case, the saying, in both English and other European languages, certainly predates these particular pedestals. Unfortunately for the locals and their legends, it's more likely these places of business became known as Nails because of the term which was already a common usage.

The four nails all have a raised rim, supposedly to stop coins from rolling off the top of the pedestal. They each have a slightly different design and were made at different times. It appears they were not owned by individual merchants, but were communal property donated by individuals.

One of the nails is marked around the rim with the name John Barker, a rich merchant who dealt in wine during the 17th century and at one time served as member of Parliament for Bristol during the reign of Charles I.

The oldest is undated but is thought to be Elizabethan and little is known of its origin. The second oldest, also from the reign of Elizabeth I, was donated by Robert Kitchen who died in 1594. The dates of the other two are listed, according to the Historic England database, as 1625 and 1631.

These remarkable remnants of Bristol's mercantile past are protected at the highest level under British conservation legislation. The Nails were moved to their spot outside the Corn Exchange when it was built, perhaps to indicate that this was now the place to do business.

Related Tags

History Money Conservation

Know Before You Go

The coordinates listed are for the Corn Exchange. The nails can be seen outside it. Be forewarned, there may be temporary market stalls set-up between and around the nails, obscuring the view and limiting access. A good time for a visit is after 5 p.m., especially in the spring and summer months for more natural sunlight.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Edited By

jongrantham, SEANETTA, Jaszmina Szendrey, Kavya Ram Mohan...

  • jongrantham
  • SEANETTA
  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • Kavya Ram Mohan
  • rbenn250
  • Gavin
  • Xavixavir

Published

August 16, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.about-bristol.co.uk/eye-03.asp
  • http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cash-on-the-nail.html
  • https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1196999
  • http://bristololdcity.co.uk/where-to-go/nails
The Nails
Corn St
Bristol, England
United Kingdom
51.454492, -2.593587
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Corn Exchange Dual-Time Clock

Bristol, England

miles away

Victoria Font

Bristol, England

miles away

The Guild of Ancient Merchant Taylors

Bristol, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bristol

Bristol

England

Places 32
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Corn Exchange Dual-Time Clock

Bristol, England

miles away

Victoria Font

Bristol, England

miles away

The Guild of Ancient Merchant Taylors

Bristol, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bristol

Bristol

England

Places 32
Stories 5

Related Places

  • The “Kajiki cash” was once minted at this spot.

    Aira, Japan

    Kajiki Unofficial Mint Site

    Imitations of Chinese coins were minted here for foreign trade before Japan got its own currency.

  • Bontoc, Philippines

    Alab Petroglyphs

    Engravings of penises and vaginas on a boulder in the Philippines dates local tribal history back to the Bronze Age.

  • Guayacán Centenario

    Guánica, Puerto Rico

    Guayacán Centenario

    A resilient tree that has survived for more than 700 years in Guánica Dry Forest.

  • Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena

    Siena, Italy

    Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena

    First founded in 1472, this is the oldest bank in the world. Its history may explain why we call financial institutions "banks."

  • World’s End

    Hingham, Massachusetts

    World's End

    Plans for this peninsula included houses, the United Nations Headquarters, and a nuclear power plant. When none of them worked out, it became an expansive park.

  • Oliver Pollock used his personal finances to support the American Revolution, and he unintentionally inspired the dollar sign.

    Baton Rouge, Louisiana

    Sculpture of Oliver Pollock

    This sculpture may be the only known depiction of a man who helped finance the American Revolution and inadvertently created the dollar sign.

  • John Muir’s Giant Sequoia.

    Martinez, California

    John Muir's Giant Sequoia

    A sparse, solitary sequoia still stands as a living tribute to the famous conservationist who planted it—but it's dying.

  • The monument commemorating the site of Kameido Zeniza.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Kameido Zeniza Monument

    This often-overlooked monument was crafted in the shape of the iconic samurai coin to honor an Edo-period mint.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.