Social Question

Espiritus_Corvus's avatar

What was the value of a Guinea, a Bob, and a Quid in Pounds, Shillings, and Pence?

Asked by Espiritus_Corvus (17294points) August 12th, 2013

As asked.

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

15 Answers

janbb's avatar

My English friends might correct me but I believe a guinea was a pound and a shilling – usually used only for high-priced items. A bob is the slang for a shilling and a quid is slang for a pound. Values have changed after 1970 when decimalization went in.

ucme's avatar

A guinea was worth £1.05p
A bob 5p
A quid £1

Blondesjon's avatar

@ucme . . . As an avid reader of Andy Capp, I would like to thank you for clearing so many things up for me.

ucme's avatar

@Blondesjon Woah, i’m mightily impressed that you’ve even heard of Andy, been around for years that old bugger. I’ve always felt sorry for his wife Flo, she has to put up with a lot.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@ucme Farthing? Pence?

ucme's avatar

@KNOWITALL These are going way back before my time but I reckon a farthing was something daft like a quarter of a penny, pence is the pennies of which 100 make a pound.

Blondesjon's avatar

if you ‘aven’t got a penny then an ha’penny will do . . .

rojo's avatar

Farthing:
A farthing was the smallest unit of predecimal currency in the last 100 years. A farthing was one quarter (¼) of a Penny. The last Farthing was minted in 1956.

Half Penny: (or an ‘Aipny as I recall)
As the name suggests a ‘Half Penny’ was worth one Half (½) of a Penny. So two farthings also make up half a penny. The last half penny for circulation was dated 1967.

Penny (or 1D): (plural: Pence)
The penny was really the basic unit of currency and had a lot more value than a modern ‘New’ Penny. There were 240 Pennies in a pre-decimal pound (£). The last penny for circulation was dated 1967.

Threepence (or Thrupence):
The Threepence, or ‘thrupence’ as it is also referred to was equal to three pennies. There were therefore eighty threepences in a pre-decimal pound (£). The last threepence for circulation was dated 1967.

Sixpence (or Tanner):
Also called a ‘Tanner’. Obviously worth Six Pennies. There were forty sixpences in a pre-decimal pound (£). The last sixpence for circulation was dated 1967.

Shilling (or a Bob):
A shilling was worth twelve pennies. There were 20 in the pre-decimal pound (£). The shilling was replaced by the five new pence (½0 of a decimal pound (£)). The last shilling for circulation was dated 1967 although they were used as Five pence pieces until the Five new pence (5p) coin was made smaller in 1990.

Florin (or Two Shillings, 2/-):
The Florin was worth 24 pre-decimal pence or two shillings. It was introduced by the Victorians in a step towards decimalisation, because it was worth one tenth of a pre-decimal pound (£). The last florin for circulation was dated 1967 although they were used as Ten new pence (10p) until the ten pence coin was made smaller in 1992.

Half Crown:
All the previous denominations have been worth double the denomination before them. That stops with the florin because the Half Crown was worth 30 pre-decimal pence (or two shillings and six pence). There were eight Half Crowns in a pound (£) The last half crown for circulation was dated 1967.

Crown:
A Crown was worth 60 pre-decimal pence or one quarter of a pound (£). Although in the last 30 years+ of the pre-decimal currency Crowns were really only issued to mark special occasions. Crowns are still minted today and have been given a £5 face value.

Half Sovereign and Sovereign:
Sovereigns have a face value of 20 Shillings (or one pound) and Half Sovereigns of 10 Shillings. As they are made of 22ct Gold they have a much higher real value and were not used as currency in recent years.

ucme's avatar

My dawg’s called Penny, but she’s fucking priceless…who said take her to the pound?

KNOWITALL's avatar

@rojo Oh, thanks on the florin, a lot of my bodice-ripping novels use those, but I couldn’t remember what to call them..lol

rojo's avatar

I also remember my grandma calling it “A Thripnybit”

Oh, and, I left out a Pound, aka a “Quid” – 20 shillings

ucme's avatar

Coins in circulation when I was growing up…
Halfpenny
Two pence
Five pence
Ten pence
Fifty pence

bea2345's avatar

By the time I began school, the coins in circulation (Trinidad and Tobago was still a British colony) included

farthing (4 farthings made one penny)
halfpenny (called a cent)
penny
shilling (24 cents).

By the time I left kindergarten the farthing had become very rare, and shillings were the kind of thing you got as presents on birthdays and generally lived in the pockets of adults. Bearing in mind that we were a Spanish colony before the British, we also had the dollar (100 cents=$1.00). I seem to recall a six pence coin but I don’t remember it too well. BTW, the dollar was red, $5 was blue,etc. I was an adult before I saw my first hundred dollar bill (blue).

Espiritus_Corvus's avatar

Thank you, everybody!

bea2345's avatar

Correction: our $5 bill was and still is, green.

Answer this question

Login

or

Join

to answer.
Your answer will be saved while you login or join.

Have a question? Ask Fluther!

What do you know more about?
or
Knowledge Networking @ Fluther