Money Matters

Before the days of decimalization was around money was difficult to understand. Money was divided this way: pounds (£) shillings (s. or /-) and pennies (d.). Thus, 4 pounds, eight shillings and fourpence would be written as £4/8/4d. or £4-8-4d. There were different names for money also. For example a shilling was often called a ‘bob’. There were 20 shillings in £1. One shilling contained 12 pennies and £1contained 240 pennies. Pennies were broken down into other coins such as a farthing, a halfpenny and three farthings. Other coins of a value less than 1/- were a half- groat(2d), a three penny bit (3d), and a groat(4d). A sixpence was often called a ‘tanner.’ Coins less than a pound, but more than a 1/- were the two shilling piece called a ‘florin,’ a half-crown (2/6d), a crown (5/-), ten shillings (a half sovereign), and a half guinea (10/6d). A paper pound was called a ‘quid’. The guinea was more than a pound (£1/1/-). These last examples of money were generally only in possession of those in the upper class. 
                                                                                                                    -Emily Dodd