Posted by andy clayton on June 25, 2009 at 20:23:14 user cousin_jack.
In Reply to: Re:Pre-decimal currency (was: Absent posters (Trivia) posted by eclrh on June 25, 2009 at 12:06:02:
I read somewhere, a long time ago, that the florin (2\-) was introduced as an early attempt at decimalisation to replace the half-crown (2\6d). As the half-crown was popular and useful with it being 1/8th of a £, it continued to exist alongside the upstart designed to replace it.
I have a book called 'The Pound' by David Sinclair which gives a detailed history of our currency from earliest times. 240 silver pennies actualy weighed in at a pound. Inflation, debasement and other horrers have all had a hand in its storey since then.
Andy Clayton.