# coals to Newcastle

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/coals-to-newcastle
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it is made, or where they already have an abundance.

## Examples

- Bringing extra snacks to the party is like carrying coals to Newcastle.
- Sending sand to the beach is just carrying coals to Newcastle.
- Offering to teach the expert how to use the software was like carrying coals to Newcastle.
- Giving a new smartphone to a tech journalist feels like carrying coals to Newcastle because they already have every gadget imaginable.
- The company realized that exporting luxury watches to Switzerland was essentially carrying coals to Newcastle, so they changed their business plan.
- To gift the renowned vineyard owner a case of local wine was, in essence, carrying coals to Newcastle.

## Origin

The phrase originates from the historical status of Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle, New South Wales, as major coal-exporting cities. To ship coal to these locations would be redundant, as both ports functioned as primary sources of the fuel for their respective regions. The idiom records the futility of delivering a commodity to the very place where it is produced in abundance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.