English Currency

The principal unit of British currency is the pound sterling .

Prior to 1971 the pound (£) was divided up into 20 shillings (s) each worth 12 pence (d).

Amounts were usually expressed in  pounds, shillings and pence or   s  d .

eg.   £3  17s  6d    or  £1 19s 11d  or £ 2/10/6  or £7/9/10

occasionally  amounts of over a pound were expressed in just shillings and pence

e.g  52/6 = £2/12/6   or   35/-  =£1/15/-

Some derivatives of the pound existed at various times historically and are referred to in some of the notes:-

florin = 2/- = one tenth of a pound

half crown= 2/6 = one eighth of a pound

crown= 5s = quarter of a pound

noble= 6s 8d  = one third of a pound

mark=13s 4d = two thirds of a pound

guinea= 21s = £1 1s

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