diff --git a/components/item-full.js b/components/item-full.js
index bc424541..5dab9dc3 100644
--- a/components/item-full.js
+++ b/components/item-full.js
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ function TopLevelItem ({ item, noReply, ...props }) {
           <Reply
             item={item}
             replyOpen
-            placeholder={item.ncomments > 3 ? 'fractions of a penny for your thoughts?' : 'early comments get more zaps'}
             onCancelQuote={cancelQuote}
             onQuoteReply={quoteReply}
             quote={quote}
diff --git a/components/reply.js b/components/reply.js
index 1454a1e5..eb837b97 100644
--- a/components/reply.js
+++ b/components/reply.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { Form, MarkdownInput } from '@/components/form'
 import styles from './reply.module.css'
 import { COMMENTS } from '@/fragments/comments'
 import { useMe } from './me'
-import { forwardRef, useCallback, useEffect, useState, useRef } from 'react'
+import { forwardRef, useCallback, useEffect, useState, useRef, useMemo } from 'react'
 import Link from 'next/link'
 import { FeeButtonProvider, postCommentBaseLineItems, postCommentUseRemoteLineItems } from './fee-button'
 import { commentsViewedAfterComment } from '@/lib/new-comments'
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ export default forwardRef(function Reply ({
   item,
   replyOpen,
   children,
-  placeholder,
   onQuoteReply,
   onCancelQuote,
   quote
@@ -53,6 +52,14 @@ export default forwardRef(function Reply ({
     }
   }, [replyOpen, quote, parentId])
 
+  const placeholder = useMemo(() => {
+    return [
+      'comment for currency?',
+      'fractions of a penny for your thoughts?',
+      'put your money where your mouth is?'
+    ][parentId % 3]
+  }, [parentId])
+
   const onSubmit = useItemSubmit(CREATE_COMMENT, {
     extraValues: { parentId },
     paidMutationOptions: {