# In Britain, what's the difference between a pound and a guinea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-britain-whats-the-difference-between-a-pound-and-a-guinea/617481>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 1, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-britain-whats-the-difference-between-a-pound-and-a-guinea/617481 "2012-04-01T15:15:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![robert\_fm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/87869e/32.png) [@robert\_fm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_fm)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-britain-whats-the-difference-between-a-pound-and-a-guinea/617481/21 "2012-05-30T09:47:50Z")

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> [@njtt](#):
>
> No love for the half-crown? ☹ In my memory, at least, these were more common than the florins (that turned into 10p).

The half-crown was 2/6 (12½p in today’s money) and I think was withdrawn about 1970.

There was also a crown (5/- or 25p), but AFAIK this was never struck as a circulation coin in my lifetime – only as a commemorative coin for occasions such as the Silver Jubilee in 1977. They’re still legal tender to this day, but are probably worth considerably more than their face value.

Finally, there’s a _new_ crown (a £5 coin!), but again, this has so far been struck only as a ceremonial coin, although it is legal tender. The way the economy is going, we’ll probably have circulation crowns before many more years have passed; there’s already a “Save Our Fivers” campaign aimed at preserving the £5 note.

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