Word to the Wise: Brummagem

Something that’s "brummagem" (BRUM-uh-jum) is cheap and showy or counterfeit. The word came about as an alteration of Birmingham (England), from the counterfeit silver coins produced in that city in the 17th century.

Example (as used by Betty McCollister in the Humanist): "But demanding that publishers replace their brummagem wares with books which embody [Madeline] Kunin’s ‘high standards of excellence’ would be a promising – and cost-free – way to begin."