The saying "a penny for your thoughts" is an English idiom simply asking people to volunteer their opinions on an issue being discussed. Though no payment actually changes hands, the phrase has become a regular part of the English vernacular. Its origins date back to the end of the Middle Ages, the point where modern English was just beginning to form.

Another one of the idioms similar to "penny for your thoughts" is offering "your two cents worth." Again, the references to money have basically been lost over time. Still, the phrases are generally well understood throughout the Great Britain and the United States.

A "penny for your thoughts" is a phrase generally credited to a man by the name of John Heywood. He was born just before the 16th century. During his life, he was a writer who penned many plays and a book in 1546, known as A dialogue conteinying the nomber in effect of all the proverbes in the Englishe tongue. The spelling may seem odd because of the outdated way the words are spelled. Future versions of the book were shortened to be called The Proverbs of John Heywood.

It is likely Heywood did not actually come up with the phrase "a penny for your thoughts." Rather, he was simply the first person, or the earliest person found so far, to have chronicled the phrase in written form. Therefore, he is the one that gets the credit. As is often the credit, the writers are the ones who get to form the history.

There is no one who can say for sure why some phrases from old English have endured through the years and others have not. Perhaps the fact that a penny is still a common term for a type of coin in both England and the United States helped keep the phrase relevant. At any rate, for whatever reason, a "penny for your thoughts" has remain ingrained in the psyche of English speakers throughout the centuries.

Of course, when the saying originated, a penny was worth a lot more. Thus, a "penny for your thoughts" when the expression was first used likely indicated the thoughts were more value to those imploring the listener to give them than they are by today’s standards. Still, the phrase is hardly ever taken as an insult even today. Therefore, if someone offers a "penny for your thoughts," feel honored they think enough of you to value your opinion.