What does the expression “put your five kopeks in” mean? The roots of this expression can be found in the Bible. In the New Testament, there is a story about a poor widow who donated as much as she could to the church – two copper coins or ‘lepta’. In Soviet times, five kopecks – or a ‘pyatachok’ – was small change: that was how much a subway ride cost. By analogy, people began to use this phrase to refer to a small contribution to a common cause or discussion. And not always in a positive way.