Hi Yanc
You seem to have got well on the way with your second posting, going back into the 19th and possibly the 18th century for some items.
From my own experience. You have the current decimal system in use in the UK. I was brought up during the system before that.
One pound = 240 pence (Currency in one pound, five pound, ten pound, twenty pound, fifty pound – and I think one hundred pound notes.) Also below these was the Ten shillings note (The Ten Bob Note)
Within one pound there were 20 shillings.
Coins:
Each one shilling = 12 pence. Colloquially known as a Bob’
A florin = two shillings = 24 pence Colloquially known as ‘Two Bob’
A sixpence = 6 pence Colloquially known as a ‘Tanner’. Two sixpences = 1 shilling
Half-a- crown = 2 shillings and six pence (in a single coin). So 8 half crowns = 1 pound
(Crowns disappeared in the early part of the 20th century)
Threepence (pronounced either Threppence or Thruppence). So 4 Threppences in 1 shilling
Penny (or known when conjunction with something else ‘pence’) 12 in one shilling, 24 in a florin, 30 in half a crown, 240 in one pound.
Halfpenny (pronounced ‘Haypenny’) – half a penny , so 24 in one shilling. (Half pence were brought in with decimalisation but soon disappeared as being worth so very little)
Farthing = 4 to one penny. Disappeared in latter half of 20th century. The smallest coin in common use, certainly in the 20th century.
Guinea – during 20th century ceased to be a coin and is still used as an expression in gambling, racing and the like as One pound one shilling (£1; 5 pence in decimal currency)
Groat = 4 pence, but disappeared as normal currency in latter part of 19th century. I think it forms part of the money given by the Queen on her birthday to selected pensioners (but it may not be part of this money nowadays)
Crown – was value 5 shillings, but I can’t remember a coin of this nature in use. Similarly with Sovereign which went out of use I think in early part of 20th century. Nobles are going back in history, as must be marks and merks.
Have no knowledge of coins or amounts of 1/3 and 1/2 farthing; two pence coins, double florin coins, third of a guinea coins.
Have a look at this web site:
www.24carat.co.uk/denominationsframe.html, but parts of it are very complicated!
Good hunting, Leslie
