Andy Capp by Reg Smythe for September 13, 2012

For those of you wondering:

Prior to decimalization in 1971 Britain used a system of pounds, shillings and pence. (‘£sd’ or ‘LSD’). The smallest unit of currency was a penny, the plural of which was pence (or pennies). There were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound. The pound came in the form of a paper bill, called a note, or a gold coin, called a sovereign.

1 farthing (the lowest value coin) = 1/4 pennyA ha’penny (Half penny – a copper coin) = 1/2 penny (pronounced “heipni”)1 penny (a copper coin) = one of the basic units (1d)Threepence or Thruppenny Bit = 3 pence (pronounced “thrupence”)Sixpence (a silver coin also called a ‘tanner’) = 6 pence1 shilling = 12 pence (1s)1 florin (a silver coin that numismatists regard as one of the most beautiful medieval English coins) = 2 shillingsA half-crown = 2 shillings and 6 pence1 crown = 5 shillings = 1/4 pound1 pound = 20 shillings = 240 pence (£1)1 sovereign = a gold coin with a face value of one pound (about .24 ounces of 22 carat gold)

A “bob” is slang for a shilling and “quid” for a pound.