“A ton of money” (a large amount of money)

“A ton of money” means a lot of money. A “ton” metaphorically means any large amount; a physical ton of dollars is worth $908,000 and a physical ton of pennies is worth $3,632.
 
The term “ton of money” was popularized in horse racing and has been cited in print since at least 1889. When bettors favored a horse, that horse was said to be carrying “a ton of money.”
 
   
Investopedia
Definition of ‘A Ton Of Money’
A slang term used to describe a significant amount of money. The amount implied typically depends on the person, company or situation.
 
Michigan Kids!
How much is a ton of money?
(...)
According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, all U.S. bills weigh the same: one gram. About 454 grams make a pound, which means that a ton of dollar bills would be worth $908,000.

With coins, it is a different story. A quarter weighs 5.7 grams, according to the U.S. Mint; therefore, a ton of quarters would be worth $40,000. With pennies, it gets worse. You need 363,000 pennies (at 2.5 grams each) to make a ton, and the value of the pennies is a paltry $3,632.
 
27 July 1889, Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL), “Twin City Events,” pg. 2, col. 4:
St. Ledger was a cinch for the fourth race, and carried a ton of money.
 
9 October 1889, Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL), “Events at Westchester,” pg. 6, col. 6:
Cracksman was carrying a “ton” of money in the second race, and fairly justified his good support by winning with ease.

Google News Archive
16 May 1893, Spokane (WA) Review, pg. 2, col. 5:
THE FAVORITE COMING IN NEXT
NEW YORK, May 15.—(...) Lamplighter, the favorite, who went to the post carrying a ton of money, was second, and Leonawell, third.
   
Daily Racing Forum Online Archive
6 November 1898, Daily Racing Form, pg. 1, col. 2:
The latter was the favorite and a ton of money was bet on him at 6 to 5 and even money.
 
Google News Archive
7 January 1915, Milwaukee (WI) Journal, “Case to Landis, Johnson Happy,” pg. 10, col. 8:
Yet they have lost a ton of money because the base ball public has not seen fit to patronize their games.
 
Google Books
The Game of Life and How to Play It
By Florence Scovel Shinn
Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss
1925
Pg. 38:
He turned to his wife and said, “If I get this coat, I’ll make a ton of money!”
 
OCLC WorldCat record
How to create small-space newspaper advertising that works : the principles of persuasion applied to print : must reading for agencies and advertisers who want to win the battle for readership without spending a ton of money
Author: Ken Eichenbaum
Publisher: Milwaukee, WI, USA (4100 W. River Lane, Milwaukee 53209) : Unicom Pub. Group, ©1987.
Edition/Format:  Book : EnglishView
 
OCLC WorldCat record
How To Get More Value From EDI: Setting up trading partners has cost major electronic data interchange users a ton of money
Edition/Format:  Article
Publication: DATAMATION -INTERNATIONAL EDITION- 40, no. 9, (1994): 56
Database: British Library Serials
 
OCLC WorldCat record
A ton of money in sports-related investments
Author: S D Kaye
Edition/Format:  Article : English
Publication: US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, 121, no. 11, (September 16, 1996): 126-127
Database: British Library Serials
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Quit your day job! : how to sleep late, do what you enjoy, and make a ton of money as a writer
Author: Jim Denney
Publisher: Sanger, Calif. : Quill Driver Books/Word Dancer Press, ©2004.
Edition/Format:  Book : English