Hard cash is a term used to refer to physical money, such as coins and paper bills. It is also known as SPECIE or COIN, which are the two crossword solutions for the term hard cash. SPECIE is a term used to refer to coins made of precious metals, such as gold and silver. COIN is a term used to refer to any type of physical money, including coins made of base metals, such as copper and nickel. Hard cash is often preferred over other forms of payment, such as checks and credit cards, because it is more secure and can be used immediately.