The currency used in Britain up to February 1971 when the country switched to decimal currency was based on a Roman system, the ‘d’ standing for denarius or denari. £1 = One Pound = 240 pennies, or 240d.
Coins
¼d = a farthing, four in a penny (withdrawn from circulation 31/12/1960)
½d = a halfpenny of h’apenny, two in a penny.
1d = a penny
3d = threepence, threepenny bit or ‘thruppence’
6d = sixpence or sometimes called a ‘tanner’.
1/- or 1s = one shilling = twelve pennies often called - ‘a bob.’
2/- or 2s = two shillings, or one florin, often called ‘two bob.’
2s 6d = two shillings and sixpence, = 30 pennies = ‘half a crown.’
5/- or 5s = five shillings, a crown, (four crowns in £1)
Paper currency
10/- = ten shillings, or ‘ten bob.’
£1 = one pound, or ‘a quid.’
Other denominations
1 guinea = 21/- twenty one shillings often used for purchasing goods and services.
Converting pre-decimal currency to decimal
|
Post 1971 (Decimal coinage) |
Pre-decimal coinage - as 1914 |
|
£1 = 100pence or 100p |
£1 = 240 pennies or 240d |
|
50p |
10/- ten shillings or 120d |
|
20p |
4/- four shillings or 60d |
|
10p |
2/- two shillings or 24 pennies |
|
5p = five pence |
1/- one shilling or 12 pennies |
|
2p = two pence |
Approximately equal to 6 pennies |
|
1p = one pence |
Approximately equal to 3 pennies |
|
½ = half pence (no longer used) |
One penny |