When people ask me what’s on my mind, they’ll say “a penny for your thoughts.”
When I take the initiative to tell them what’s on my mind, it’s putting in my “two cents.”
We’re commanded not to overcharge or undercharge by more than a sixth (see the fourth perek of Bava Metzi’a). Isn’t this clearly a violation of that, in that I’m giving something worth two cents when he only is offering one?
This assumes that all amounts discussed are at least a shava perutah.
Answer
Actually, according to Megila 18a, a word is worth a penny and silence is worth two (מילה בסלע ומשתוקא בתרין). So when you put in your two cents, you're charging the listener for the breaking of your silence. When he offers you a penny to speak, he is merely compensating you for the net loss of a penny from breaking your silence.
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