# Possible error in guinea vs pound column? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 26, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292 "2004-02-26T15:20:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_PHB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@The\_PHB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_PHB)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292/21 "2004-03-01T17:34:25Z")
**Shrinking Violet** , farthings were withdrawn on 1st January 1961. At least, that’s what it says on [this website](http://www.ferdinando.org.uk/timeline/1961.htm) (which I acknowledge isn’t necessarily any sort of definitive authority). One of my friends was born in 1955 and has a really smart pair of cufflinks made out of enamelled 1955 farthings. The design of the farthing really lends itself well to this end. Being born in 1962 myself, I’ve missed out on the opportunity to acquire some myself, so I’ve had to make do with 1962 threepenny bits. But they do make an interesting conversation piece, since most younger people are frankly incredulous at the sight of a 12-sided coin! ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292/22 "2004-03-01T17:48:52Z")
Celyn chiming in just to agree that theoretical “guineas” continued to be used in advertising long after it made much sense. Not, of course, for things, like “buy bread and milk here - it looks cheap” but for larger items such as furniture, and, I should imagine, cars. Celyn was born in 1961 and remembers sneaky “guinea” advertising as she grew up, oops, grew older. **The PHB** - Cute about the thrupenny bit - I also have one from my birth year. Coem to think of it, I’ve also got an old tanner from my birth year that I got in a christmas pudding once. Oh, money is fun - if only I had more of it. Got a couple of “real” pennies, I think, too. I wonder if I could get my hands on an old half-crown as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292/23 "2004-03-01T23:58:21Z")
threepenny bit:- they were twelve-sided so that you could spanner them out of a Scotsman’s hand 😃 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292/24 "2004-03-02T01:30:55Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > I wonder if I could get my hands on an old half-crown as well. Go see a local coin dealer. We have all kinds of obsolete money. Much of it rather cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292/25 "2004-03-02T09:15:19Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > I wonder if I could get my hands on an old half-crown as well. [Ebay’s](http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.co.uk%2Fws%2F&query=%22half+crown%22&ebaytag1code=3&shortcut=2&currdisp=1&maxRecordsReturned=300&maxRecordsPerPage=50&SortProperty=MetaEndSort) your friend. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-error-in-guinea-vs-pound-column/231292.md?page=1)