Lsd (no, not that one)

Following on from My post on benders,

Here is a fab chapter & verse about imperial coinage in the UK:- Nottingham.ac.uk

Pounds, Shillings & Pence. Ha'pnys, & farthings. Yes, I do remember farthings. With a little bird (robin?) on. Nope, it was a Wren. Thx internet.

A quarter of a penny. Thats about 1/8th of a "new penny" post decimalisation.

Quote:-

Until 1971, British money was divided up into pounds, shillings and pence.

One pound was divided into 20 shillings.

One shilling was divided into 12 pennies.

One penny was divided into two halfpennies, or four farthings.  

There were therefore 240 pennies in a pound.

And thus 480 ha'pennies, 960 farthings.

I remember thruppeny bits, (fnaaar fnaaar), sixpenny bits, shillings (12d), two bob pieces (24d) half crowns (2 shillings & 6d, or 30d) and rarely, crowns (5 shillings or 60d). Giving change was an exercise in mental arithmetic! There is a lovely Joyce Grenfell sketch with her trying to give change with not the right coins (Sadly I can't find a copy)

Of course, there were 4 crowns in a pound, or 8 half crowns.

Now, Guineas were different. 21 shillings, or a pound & a shilling. I remember my dad buying a sheepskin coat literally off the back of a kosher customer, agreeing the price, & then being told that the price they agreed was in guineas, not pounds.....