After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the pound was divided into twenty shillings or 240 pennies. It remained so until decimalization on 15 February 1971.
Old money was divided into:
pounds (£ or l ) shillings (s. or /-) and pennies (d.)
There were twenty (20) shillings per pound.
The shilling was subdivided into twelve (12) pennies.
The penny was further sub-divided into two halfpennies or four farthings (quarter
2 farthings = 1 halfpenny
2 halfpence = 1 penny (1d)
3 pence = 1 thruppence (3d)
6 pence = 1 sixpence (a ‘tanner’) (6d)
12 pence = 1 shilling (a bob) (1s)
2 shillings = 1 florin ( a ‘two bob bit’) (2s)
2 shillings and 6 pence = 1 half crown (2s 6d) 5 shillings = 1 Crown (5s)
Symbols
One pound
A £1 coin was called a Sovereign and was made of gold.
A paper pound often was called a ‘quid’.
More than a pound (£)
1 guinea and a £5 coin
1 guinea = one pound and one shilling = 21 shillings
A guinea was considered a more gentlemanly amount than £1. You paid tradesmen, such as a carpenter, in pounds but gentlemen, such as an artist, in guineas.
Bob” is slang for shilling
1 shilling equalled twelve pence (12d).
£1 (one pound) equalled 20 shillings (20s or 20/-)
240 pennies ( 240d ) = £1
There were 240 pennies to a pound because originally 240 silver penny coins weighed 1 pound (1lb).
A sum of £3 12s 6d was normally written as £3-12-6, but a sum of 12s 6d was normally recorded as 12/6.
Coins of more than one shilling ( 1/- ) but less than £1 in value were:
a florin (a two shillings or 2 bob or 2 bob bit)
a crown (5/-) (five shillings or 5 bob)
10 x 2/- = £1
a half-crown ( 2/6d) (2 shillings and 6 pence)
8 x 2/6d = £1
4 x 5/- = £1
a half-sovereign (ten shillings or 10 bob)
2 x 10/- = £1
a half-guinea (10/6d) (10 shillings and 6 pence)
2 x 10/6d = £1/1/-
Florin
HalfCrown
Did you know
A “crown” was originally a gold coin issued during the reign of Henry VIII in 1544. It became a silver coin in 1551under his son Edward VI.
Less than a Shilling (s. or /- )
|
Other coins of a value less than 1/- were |
1/- (shilling) = |
|
a half-groat (2d) |
6 x 2d = 1/- |
|
a threepenny bit (threepence) (3d) made of silver |
4 x 3d. = 1/- |
|
a groat (4d) |
3 x 4d = 1/- |
|
sixpence (silver) often called a ‘tanner’ |
2 x 6d = 1/- |
|
penny (copper) often called a ‘copper’ |
12 x 1d = 1/- |
The word threepence would often be pronounced as though there was only a single middle “e”, therefore “thre-pence”. The slang name for the coin was Joey.
Penny coins were referred to as ‘coppers’
We also used the words couple of coppers, tanner, bob, half-a-dollar, dollar, quid to
Pennies were broken down into other coins:
Farthing
Diameter : 20.0 mm ; Weight : 2.8 grams
Half Penny
Diameter : 25.0 mm ; Weight : 5.7 grams
Other names for coins
A shilling was often called a ‘bob’.
“It cost me four bob.”
Five shilling piece or crown was sometimes called a dollar sixpence (silver) – often called a ‘tanner’
Less than a penny (d)
|
a farthing |
= 1⁄4 of a penny (1/4d) |
|
a halfpenny (pronounced ‘hay- p’ny’) |
= 1⁄2 of a penny (1/2d) |
mean the value or amount of the money needed, e.g. can you lend me ten bob please? It didn’t really matter if in was made up of shillings and pennies, or any other coins. John Curd
A penny was often called a ‘copper’ after the metal it was minted from. Old money conversions to money used today
Sixpence – 21⁄2p
One shilling (or ‘bob’) – 5p
Half a crown (2 shillings and sixpence) – 121⁄2p One guinea – £1.05