My two cents

It just means that one is about to state one's opinion.

I have found two conflicting accounts of the derivation:

1. This expression meaning "to contribute one's opinion" dates from
the late nineteenth century. Bo Bradham suggested that it came from
"the days of $.02 postage. To 'put one's two cents' worth in'
referred to the cost of a letter to the editor, the president, or
whomever was deserving". According to the Encyclopaedia
Britannica, the first-class postal rate was 2 cents an ounce between
1883 and 1932 (with the exception of a brief period during World War
I). This OED citation confirms that two-cent stamps were once
common: "1902 ELIZ. L. BANKS Newspaper Girl xiv, Dinah got a letter
through the American mail. She had fivepence to pay on it, because
only a common two-cent stamp had been stuck on it." On the other
hand, "two-cent" was an American expression for "of little value"
(similar to British "twopenny-halfpenny"), so the phrase may simply
have indicated the writer's modesty about the value of his
contribution.

http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxputino.html


2. "My two cents" and its longer version "put my two cents in" is an American idiomatic expression, taken from the original British idiom expression: to put in "my two pennies worth" or "my tuppence worth". It used to preface the tentative stating of one’s opinion. By deprecating the opinion to follow " suggesting its value is only two cents, a very small amount " the user of the phrase hopes to lessen the impact of a possibly contentious statement, showing politeness and humility. However, it is also sometimes used with irony when expressing a strongly felt opinion. The phrase is also used out of habit to preface uncontentious opinions.

For example: “If I may put my two cents in, that hat doesn't do you any favors." (More polite way of saying, for example: That hat is ugly.) An example of the shortened version: "My two cents is that you should sell that stock now."

There is some speculation as to the origin of the idiom. Some believe that the phrase originates in betting card games, such as poker. In these games, one must make a small bet, or ante, before beginning play. Thus, the phrase makes an analogy between entering the game and entering a conversation. However, there is no documentary evidence of this being the origin of the idiom and as such, is merely speculation. Other likely origins are that "my two pennies worth" is derived from the much older 16th Century British expression, "a penny for your thoughts". There is also some belief that the idiom may have its origins in the early cost of postage in Britain, the "twopenny post", where two pennies was the normal charge of sending a letter containing one's words and thoughts or feelings to someone.

"Two cents" and its variations may also be used in place of the noun "opinion" or the verb phrase "state [subject's] opinion", e.g. "You had to put your two cents in, didn't you?" or "But that’s just my two cents."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_two_cents_(idiom)

Which would seem to mean that if the expression had kept pace with the rate of inflation we should now be saying, "If I can put my forty three cents in..."

More like $43!

He asks for the time, and you tell imhow to build a watch.

I was thorough.

actually, the term comes from "two cents plain", but thats not the point .

Anyone would think I'd offered to teach him to fish!

I think most Americans use 'my two cents worth' as a metaphor. Literally interpreted it is most likely to be something like: "My opinion for whatever it is worth." It is a kind of socially polite modesty acknowledging that it might not be worth much, but here it is nevertheless. (At least that's my two cents worth on this subject.)

I'd say that's worth at least a buck, fox.

Sold!

Thanks, fellow members, for all the help.