Do you remember the tanner, shilling, florin and half crown?

If you do, you must be at least in your 40s, because it was back in February 1971, 40 years ago, that Britain "went decimal" and hundreds of years of everyday currency was turned into history overnight.
On 14 February that year, there were 12 pennies to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound. The following day all that was history and the pound was made up of 100 new pence.

Some three years before "D-Day" or Decimal Day, new 5p and 10p coins were introduced. They were of the same size and value as the existing one and two shilling coins. Then in 1969, a 50p coin was introduced to replace the 10-shilling note. The 50p coin was referred to as a 10-shilling coin at the time.
On Monday 15 February 1971, the process was completed when the 0.5p, 1p and 2p coins were introduced and the old pennies were withdrawn.

One old coin that survived longer than expected was the sixpence. Worth 2.5p, it remained in circulation until 1980, after a public campaign to keep it.

Forty years on, those old coins are a distant memory for those in their 40s and beyond, and a puzzlement for those too young to have known them.
But pre-decimal pennies are still in use in one part of London where they have a vital role.
They are used to adjust the timing of the pendulum of the clock in the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster, commonly known as Big Ben

Many sayings and phrases in the English language relate to our old money.
Here are just a few:
"Spend a penny"
"You look like you have lost half a crown and found sixpence."
"A penny for your thoughts"
"It can turn on a sixpence"
"Bob-a-job week"
"Take the King's shilling"
(extracts from BBC)

40 years ago hard to believe...

i have a few of them coins,hummm ill snap a few pics n put them some where ???
ahh in the galary

ps
even as an 11yr old thought it was strange to loose so many pennies to the pound
20 shillings to the pound 12pennies to one shilling hummm now only 100 to pound and the shilling became FIVE pence dont make sense hummm dodgy

Before my time.

I can still remember farthings but can't remember if they were in circulation or curiosities my parents had.

PS Just checked and they were legal tender right up till 31stDec 1960 so I must have spent some in my time

Yep - sure do....also Doubles (Guernsey Currency) 8 x Doubles to a One Penny

I don't really remember them.. at school and we were taught decimal.......

I still tend to do a mental conversion in my head back to real money. Sad innit.

I do as well :-)))))

I can remember in the dim distant past when my mother and I discussed pocket money...................she said the deal was I could either have 3 shillings a week - or alternatively I could have 6p a day.....bargain!!!! Only later in life did I find out that she couldn't really afford to give me 3 shillings all in one hit out of her housekeeping!!!!!!! so I benefited by taking it daily!!!!

Yes i do as well revert ba k to £ S D..then is horrified how much it really cost

some pics i took
http://www.vuedesisles.com/gallery/Personal-album-of-gsyguy-cat_u136.htm

i remeber them well...got quite a few lying around somewhere in the house...i convert back to real money too xxxx

I've been doing some charity work with the LIONS club which involves the collection and sorting of currency. Mates have been saying that I must be mad sorting this stuff but it has been great fun.

There has been loads of pre decimal currency including half crowns and thrupeny bits which brought back memories.

I was surprised that the colonies Aus', NZ, Fiji had very similar coins to the UK. Fiji actually had the old shape thrupeny bits. NZ and Aus had silver ones that are so small they must have hidden in the darkest fold of the pocket with all that fluff. Pennies and half pennies were the same just a different picture on the coin, either a bird or a big red.