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Author Topic: British currency colonial era  (Read 5262 times)

Stand_watie

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British currency colonial era
« on: April 24, 2007, 05:59:59 AM »
I'm reading a book (bio of John Paul Jones) and trying to sort out in my head currency figures being quoted.

I know I know & and s are representive of pounds and shillings, but what does d denote? Pence? If not what, and if so how many to a shilling? Is there a value difference between &gold and &silver?

What was a pound worth compared to current pounds (or dollars if you prefer).

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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2007, 06:29:51 AM »
Prior to sometime in the 1970s, British currency wasn't decimalized, so the monetary system is something of a pain in the butt.

I believe that d is pence in the old system, but that has been replaced by p since decimalization.

Here's some neat information on old British currency standards.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/moneyold.htm

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mfree

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2007, 06:42:15 AM »
Holy crap.

No wonder the British Empire was so successful... you had to solve a logic puzzle every time you went to pay for something, everyone was kept sharp!
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Iain

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2007, 07:46:22 AM »
Decimalisation - just another thing to attribute our 'fall' to. That and using 's' in all the wrong words.

Aside from odd bits of slang and certain archaic traditions the system has pretty much disappeared. Us post-decimalisation babies are blissfully unaware of the monetary-mathematical struggles of our forebears.

Time to hammer the final nail into pounds and ounces and our decline will be complete.
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The Rabbi

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2007, 07:47:12 AM »
Yes, the d stands for pence.  It made a certain amount of sense, if 12 inches equals one foot, etc.
I know it was 12 shillings to the pound.  It was also 13 shillings to the guinea.  To this day fancy things (tuxedos, ball gowns, tickets to certain events) are still quoted in guineas.  Where half a crown, a crown, a farthing (I think half a penny) fit in I don't know.
They had an equally absurd system for measures.  So an Imperial Quart was somewhat bigger than a standard quart.
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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2007, 09:09:53 AM »
Quote from: Iain on April 24, 2007, 06:46:22 AM
Time to hammer the final nail into pounds and ounces and our decline will be complete.

You can take my tablespoons when you pry them from my COLD DEAD HANDS!

~GnSx
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Rovi

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2007, 09:22:23 AM »
Quote from: The Rabbi on April 24, 2007, 06:47:12 AM
Yes, the d stands for pence.  It made a certain amount of sense, if 12 inches equals one foot, etc.
I know it was 12 shillings to the pound.  It was also 13 shillings to the guinea.  To this day fancy things (tuxedos, ball gowns, tickets to certain events) are still quoted in guineas.  Where half a crown, a crown, a farthing (I think half a penny) fit in I don't know.
They had an equally absurd system for measures.  So an Imperial Quart was somewhat bigger than a standard quart.
20 shillings = 1 pound
21 shillings = 1 guinea
1 crown = 5 shillings
1/2 crown = 2 shillings and 6 pence
1 farthing = 1/4 penny
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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2007, 09:55:53 AM »
I get 212 furlongs to the hogshead, and that's the way it's going to stay!
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charby

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2007, 10:07:06 AM »
well I get 320 perches to the mile
but only 8 furlongs in the same mile

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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2007, 10:26:58 AM »
320 perches...

Great. Now I want fish for dinner.
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Car Knocker

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2007, 01:29:06 PM »
There is still a product sold in the U.S. that uses the pence as a descriptive unit of measurement.  Nails.  8d nails, 20d nails, etc.  The number of "d" indicated how many pennies 100 nails of a particular size would cost from the blacksmith.  2d nails (we would call them brads nowdays) took less time and material to fashion than 16d framing nails.
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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2007, 03:56:11 PM »
This thread is going south at approximately 1056 attoparsecs/microfortnight
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Matthew Carberry

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2007, 05:00:33 PM »
Quote from: Iain
Time to hammer the final nail into pounds and ounces and our decline will be complete.

Quote from: Car Knocker
There is still a product sold in the U.S. that uses the pence as a descriptive unit of measurement.  Nails.

Car Knocker, you  missed the penny/nail pun opportunity in Iain's post.

See what seriousness will do for you.  rolleyes
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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2007, 05:07:00 PM »
Well, I purchased a tape measure earlier this year that was metric.

I don't feel much like a traitor to my English roots, but my carpentry is one hell of a lot more accurate.

No more trying to add 4 & 5/8ths and 7 13/32nds.
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Matthew Carberry

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2007, 05:12:06 PM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 04:07:00 PM
Well, I purchased a tape measure earlier this year that was metric.

I don't feel much like a traitor to my English roots, but my carpentry is one hell of a lot more accurate.

No more trying to add 4 & 5/8ths and 7 13/32nds.

12-1/32"  What's the problem?  grin
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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #15 on: April 24, 2007, 05:24:41 PM »
I know exactly what it is.

I just got sick and damned tired of trying to figure it out on the fly.

Least common denominator my ass.

30.6 centimeters.

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Matthew Carberry

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #16 on: April 24, 2007, 05:32:07 PM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 04:24:41 PM
I know exactly what it is.

I just got sick and damned tired of trying to figure it out on the fly.

Least common denominator my ass.

30.6 centimeters.


Not that I want you to spend less time practicing your anti-toddler defense moves, but 4x5/8 ain't exactly higher math.  grin
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Perd Hapley

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #17 on: April 24, 2007, 06:23:57 PM »
13/32?  In carpentry? 
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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #18 on: April 24, 2007, 07:07:09 PM »
Quote from: Scapegoat on April 24, 2007, 05:23:57 PM
13/32?  In carpentry? 

Yeah. Cabinet making, finish carpentry, flooring....
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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #19 on: April 24, 2007, 07:08:54 PM »
Quote from: carebear on April 24, 2007, 04:12:06 PM
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 04:07:00 PM
Well, I purchased a tape measure earlier this year that was metric.

I don't feel much like a traitor to my English roots, but my carpentry is one hell of a lot more accurate.

No more trying to add 4 & 5/8ths and 7 13/32nds.

12-1/32"  What's the problem?  grin

No problem now that I've abandoned a ludicrously complex measurement system based on the length of the kings body part d'jour.

OUR PENIS IS NOW THE NEW FOOT STANDARD!

That will show our cousin, the effeminate King of France!
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Matthew Carberry

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #20 on: April 24, 2007, 09:37:58 PM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 06:08:54 PM
No problem now that I've abandoned a ludicrously complex measurement system based on the length of the kings body part d'jour.

OUR PENIS IS NOW THE NEW FOOT STANDARD!

That will show our cousin, the effeminate King of France!

Our penis?  Is that the royal wee-wee?  grin
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mtnbkr

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #21 on: April 25, 2007, 02:09:47 AM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 06:08:54 PM
OUR PENIS IS NOW THE NEW FOOT STANDARD!
Dream on.

Chris
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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #22 on: April 25, 2007, 03:05:08 AM »
Quote from: mtnbkr on April 25, 2007, 01:09:47 AM
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 06:08:54 PM
OUR PENIS IS NOW THE NEW FOOT STANDARD!
Dream on.

Chris

You're just still mad at your Indian name, Hung Like Chipmunk...
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charby

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #23 on: April 25, 2007, 07:29:15 AM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 06:08:54 PM
Quote from: carebear on April 24, 2007, 04:12:06 PM
Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 24, 2007, 04:07:00 PM
Well, I purchased a tape measure earlier this year that was metric.

I don't feel much like a traitor to my English roots, but my carpentry is one hell of a lot more accurate.

No more trying to add 4 & 5/8ths and 7 13/32nds.

12-1/32"  What's the problem?  grin

No problem now that I've abandoned a ludicrously complex measurement system based on the length of the kings body part d'jour.

OUR PENIS IS NOW THE NEW FOOT STANDARD!

That will show our cousin, the effeminate King of France!

That would be real interesting in measuring sq footage of a house if it based on the owner.

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K Frame

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Re: British currency colonial era
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2007, 07:35:24 AM »
Yeah, I'd live in a 4 square foot house, downgraded from 1,800 or so...
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