Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Coinage in use before decimalisation in 1971

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

And for years the British resisted decimalisation as "too confusing"

It might look and sound complicated these days, but "us" of a certain age had it drilled into us at school via mental arithmatic.

Another, though only used in the professions and maybe higher class emporiums was the guinea. Something would cost 3 guineas ie. £3/3/0d (Three pounds three shillings).

I still have a £.s.d caluculator in the loft. Modern calculators just can't do it. It's 100% mechanical, about a foot square and 4 inches high - and weighs a ton!

I have also a cash register on the sideboard that ranges from 5/0d down to a farthing.

WARNING: When we were "decimalised" everyone was ripped off during the changeover by shopkeepers etc. rounding everything up (and some). Don't EVER EVER EVER let this, or any other crap government try and ditch the pound and go over to the Euro. We will loose out again to every sh*t merchant going !

Sorry - off topic again !

The reason items were charged at 19s.11d or 99p today or even £19.99p etc is so the shop staff have to open the till to give you change from a £1.00 coin or a £20.00 note, this means it registers the trans action on the till. Most people will wait for there change from the till which stops the shop staff putting the note straight in to their pocket.

I, by the way. is only 40 years young and my memory can only recall old pound notes and the 1/2p

The one thing we did have to learn with old coinage and imperial measurements was fractions, i don't know whether they still learn them in school now. Also most coins had nicknames,
sixpence...Tanner
Half crown...half a dollar
5 shillings...A Dollar
10 shilling note... half a nicker
1 Pound note....A nicker or Quid
and all shillings were bobs

No they dont teach that anymore Bert

Both my grandma and my dad could add up columns of £ s d (inc half pennies and farthings) "all in one go" ie they did not have to add up the pennies/ convert to shillings and remainder etc.

Grandma and gandad used to play Cribbage (card game that normally involves detailed scoring with a wood block and moveable pegs) and they then the kids learned mental arithmetic that way.

I used to watch Grandma run her eye down the receipts in the market from the monthly shop - and she would add it all up in one go and like an eagle she would spot the slightest discrepancy.

After the war dad worked for a time in the accounts dept of a company and he could do "the day to day books" far faster and more accurately than anyone else. Later he was responsible for
the full company accounts

ME? I'm a calculator man

Snod

That's a modern pound note, the ones I remember are these:



and the matching 10 shilling note:

I dont meen to sound nasty but you guys must be OLD...

Oh, yes, we are; old & cunning.

The real problem is - people are too young these days !!


Nurse. NURSE !!!

Theres always gonna be young people...

There's no substitute for experience Jamie

Pre-decimal was made easy work for odds at the bookies because there were eight half-crowns to the pound, twelve shillings to the pound, two ten-shillings to the pound meant that any odds using 8, 12, 4 or 6 were instantaneous, you just thought of the relevant coin(s).


Then there's the nine bob note! (I'll let someone else explain that)