[TR] Brit Money Definition

[KingsCreekTrees at aol.com]

Right. Here we go with the big monetary explanation:
 
Britain went to decimalised currency in 1970. Thereafter, there was only  
pounds and pence (or pennies). 100 pence to a pound.
 
Prior to this, Britain's currency was a far easier system that everyone  
could understand, especially overseas tourists:
 
Four farthings to a penny.
Two halfpennies (but pronounced "Hay penny") to a penny.
12 pennies to a shilling ("bob" is slang for shilling)
Two sixpences (a coin known as a "Tanner") to a shilling
five shillings to a Crown.
20 shillings to a pound ("quid" is slang for a pound)
21 shillings to a guinea.
 
Items were priced thus: 5/-  That means five shillings (commonly  referred 
to as 'five bob')
                                   5/ 6 1/2d That means five shillings, 
sixpence hay-penny.
 
Naturally, this system aided cashiers throughout the country when making  
change, especially as cashiers did not have the machines that told them how 
much  change they should give. So, if for example you bought something for 
twelve  shillings and five pence hay penny and you gave the cashier 15 bob, 
how much  change would you expect?
 
The answer, of course, is two shillings, sixpence hay penny. But you knew  
that, didn't you? See what a marvellously simple system this is? In fact, so 
 simple is it that I once followed by grandfather into a store in 1971, 
where he  purchased an item for 62 pence. His immediate reaction was "What's 
that in Old  Money?" Can anyone guess???? Fingers on buzzers: It's 11 
shillings  exactly.
 
Now that you know everything about Britain's earlier monetary system, you  
can all play fun games with working out change and asking each other how 
much  certain things cost. Off you go then.
 
Tim
 
 
Tim Dyer,  Proprietor
Kings Creek Trees and Ornamentals
427 Kings Creek Road,  RR3
Ashton, Ontario, K0A 1B0, Canada 
Phone/fax: 613 253 4126 Website: _www.kingscreektrees.com_ 
(http://www.kingscreektrees.com/) 

Proud  member of Landscape Ontario (the Ontario association of Horticulture 
Industry  professionals), the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and 
Christmas Tree  Farmers of Ontario