Coinage in use before decimalisation in 1971 - 1st Apr 2009 12:51pm
For the edification of you youngsters, i.e. under 40, here's a pic. of the coinage in use before decimalisation in 1971. I'm afraid the farthing, on the extreme right, isn't very clear; the bird on it is a wren. It was sometimes referred to as L.s.d which was Latin: L=Libra=Pound, s=solidus=a Roman coin, d=denarius= another Roman coin. Actually, Libra is Latin for scales, but there was also a weight of 1 libra, or pound, which was about 327 grams. Apart from the coins, we had notes for 10/- (ten shillings), £1 & £5. The £5 notes were not often seen & were large & white. I don't know when the silver 3d. was replaced by the 12 sided one, but I have one dated 1940.
There were 4 farthings to 1 penny, 12 pence to a shilling & 20 shillings to a pound.
Of course, we had to learn how to handle these units, e.g. how much for 3 hundredweight of sand @ 8/6d a hundredweight, 3 bags of cement @ 1/9d & a pickaxe @ £1/8/4d. No calculators of course, but most people would handle it in their heads & perhaps just write down the total.
Even when I was young in the 1940's, the farthing was hardly in use at all. Sometimes things which today might be priced at £1.99p, might have been priced at £1.19s.11 3/4. (one pound nineteen shillings & elevenpence three farthings). Don't know if anyone bothered with the farthing change from £2
There were 4 farthings to 1 penny, 12 pence to a shilling & 20 shillings to a pound.
Of course, we had to learn how to handle these units, e.g. how much for 3 hundredweight of sand @ 8/6d a hundredweight, 3 bags of cement @ 1/9d & a pickaxe @ £1/8/4d. No calculators of course, but most people would handle it in their heads & perhaps just write down the total.
Even when I was young in the 1940's, the farthing was hardly in use at all. Sometimes things which today might be priced at £1.99p, might have been priced at £1.19s.11 3/4. (one pound nineteen shillings & elevenpence three farthings). Don't know if anyone bothered with the farthing change from £2