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British Currency

Pounds, Shillings and Pence

Before decimalisation in 1971 British currency was referred to as 'pounds, shillings and pence' or '£sd' (pronounced 'LSD')

The various denominations of coins were:

Name	Colloquial	Abbreviation	Value
penny (plural: pennies or pence)	copper	d. (eg:1d.)	12 = 1 shilling
halfpenny	ha'penny or ha'pence	½d.	2 = 1 penny
farthing		¼d.	4 = 1 penny
threepenny piece	thre'penny piece or thre'pence	3d.	4 = 1 shilling
sixpenny piece	sixpence or tanner	6d.	2 = 1 shilling
shilling	bob	1s. or 1/-	20 = 1 pound
florin	two bob	2s. or 2/-	10 = 1 pound
halfcrown	two'n'six or two-and-a-kick or half a dollar	2s. 6d or 2/6	1 = 2 shillings and 6 pence
crown	dollar	5s. or 5/-	1 = five shillings
half-sovereign	half-sov.	10s. or 10/-	2 = 1 pound
sovereign	sov. or quid	£1 or £1/-/-	1 pound
guinea		£1/1/-	1 pound 1 shilling

Older coins: