# Quid, anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090 "2003-08-09T21:52:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/1 "2003-08-09T21:52:51Z")
For longer than I care to remember, I have heard the term ‘Quid’ on British program(me)s. Quid seems to be both singular and plural. I know (or think I do) that a Quid is some kind or monetary unit and that it (may be) worth more than a pound. --In some of the shows I have watched people haggle about whether to be paid in pounds or Quid–. So, the questions: 1. What is a Quid? 2. How much is/was it worth? 3. Is it still in use? 4. Are/were Quid notes printed (or maybe it is a coin)? 5. Any other information you can give on the subject. Thanks, Bob ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/2 "2003-08-09T21:58:17Z")
Quid is just slang for a pound or a pound note, just as buck is slang for a dollar in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/3 "2003-08-09T21:59:31Z")
“Quid” is just slang for “pound”, just like Americans say “buck” for “dollar”. I’m baffled that you didn’t already know this, and totally baffled over your report of British programmes having people argue over paying in one or another as if there is a difference. 😕 UnuMondo ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/4 "2003-08-10T00:49:37Z")
Me too. There is never a difference between a quid and a pound. 10 quid - £10.00 a pony £1000.00 fiver - £5.00 tenner - £10.00 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/5 "2003-08-10T00:51:31Z")
of course all my pound signs went funny. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/6 "2003-08-10T01:04:59Z")
When Australia decimalised its currency in 1966, the term “quid” was lost as a direct unit, but it remains as a general term for money. People still say, _He’s making a good quid_, or _I wouldn’t do that for quids!_, etc. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/7 "2003-08-10T01:06:56Z")
Well, people seldom ask questions when they already know the answer and it isn’t necessarily surprising that I don’t know. Had I not seen that program (I have no idea what it might have been; an old Sherlock Holmes?) I would not have thought there was a difference and wouldn’t have asked. Bob ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/8 "2003-08-10T01:18:51Z")
**urban1z** you may indeed be right. I checked by Shorter Oxford Dictionary, and it actually lists _quid_ as a colloquial term for a _guinea_, not a pound. A guinea is a slightly different amount of money, and is no longer used. IIRC, it is one pound, and one shilling. My mother said that she remembers in the pre-decimal days in Australia, pounds were used for most purchases, but big ticket items such as furniture etc were usually priced in guineas. So, whilst the term _quid_ definitely means a pound to today’s Britons, and has done for many decades, in a Sherlock Holmes reference, you might indeed have a point. I don’t think it’s entirely fair to you, as an American, to be expected know the ins and outs of this stuff. Good on you for asking. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/9 "2003-08-10T02:19:56Z")
Yes a Guinea’s a littele more than a pound, but to a British person a quid= 1 pound. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/10 "2003-08-10T02:46:07Z")
**urban1z** - Don’t feel bad. At least you asked the question in the right place. Years ago I walked into a London bank and asked what a “quid” was (someone had offered to pay me in quid). Let’s just say the bank staff was very, very amused. ---
**Author:** ![Mad\_Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mad\_Matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mad_Matt)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/11 "2003-08-10T03:31:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*Me too. There is never a difference between a quid and a pound. > > 10 quid - £10.00 > > a pony £1000.00 > > fiver - £5.00 > > tenner - £10.00 \*\* No. A pony is £25. £1000 is a grand. Sorry, **Lobsang**. **urban1z** you may like to visit [this site](http://www.hemyockcastle.co.uk/money.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/12 "2003-08-10T04:44:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*of course all my pound signs went funny. \*\* Not for me (OS X/Safari). ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/13 "2003-08-10T16:42:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UnuMondo \* > \*\*“Quid” is just slang for “pound”, just like Americans say “buck” for “dollar”. I’m baffled that you didn’t already know this > > UnuMondo \*\* When I was in the UK last year some people took me to Bath where we saw a woman busking. She was dressed very strangely and would sing if you gave her money. The children were afraid and asked what it was she wanted. I said “She just is trying to earn a few quid.” The child looked to his father who explained “quid is another word for pounds.” I was quite surprised that this explanation was needed for a native of the UK. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/14 "2003-08-10T16:54:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > **urban1z you may indeed be right. I checked by Shorter Oxford Dictionary, and it actually lists _quid_ as a colloquial term for a _guinea_, not a pound. A guinea is a slightly different amount of money, and is no longer used. IIRC, it is one pound, and one shilling. My mother said that she remembers in the pre-decimal days in Australia, pounds were used for most purchases, but big ticket items such as furniture etc were usually priced in guineas. So, whilst the term _quid_ definitely means a pound to today’s Britons, and has done for many decades, in a Sherlock Holmes reference, you might indeed have a point.** In Ireland “quid” was always used as a slang term for the punt (Irish pound), too. When we changed over to Euro the term disappeared for a while, but has lately been making a comeback as slang for Euro. So, I think it’s fair to say that in Britain and Ireland “quid” is the slang term for the standard monetary unit - whatever it happens to be at the time. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/15 "2003-08-10T17:42:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\ ***urban1z** you may indeed be right. I checked by Shorter Oxford Dictionary, and it actually lists _quid_ as a colloquial term for a _guinea_, not a pound. A guinea is a slightly different amount of money, and is no longer used. IIRC, it is one pound, and one shilling. \*\* **Cecil Adams** on [In Britain, what’s the difference between a pound and a guinea?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_332.html) ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/16 "2003-08-10T22:20:27Z")
Hmm. In the column **Bibliophage** linked to, Cecil said: > [@](#): > > Nowadays, if the term is used at all, it’s used in come-on advertising, “only one guinea” being the British equivalent of our “only $9.98.” If you look fast, it looks cheap. Not “nowadays”. I don’t think guineas have been used in advertising since we decimalised in 1971 – since then, the British equivalent of “only $9.98” has been “only £9.99” or “only £9.95”. Where guineas _did_ survive long after everyone else had abandoned them was in certain professions: consultant surgeons, solicitors, tailors and a few others would all charge in guineas, and I’m fairly certain that the practice continued for a few years even after decimalisation. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/17 "2003-08-11T10:42:32Z")
Some expensive items are still priced in guineas (racehorses for example). I don’t think they advertise them on TV though. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/18 "2003-08-11T13:43:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > **I checked by Shorter Oxford Dictionary, and it actually lists _quid_ as a colloquial term for a _guinea_, not a pound.** Are you sure? My copy of the _Shorter OED_ does give ‘a guinea’ as one of the definitions but only as an obsolete usage and it has ‘a sovereign’ (i.e. a coin worth one pound sterling) as the earlier and still current meaning. One could quibble that sovereigns are themselves obsolete, but this does suggest that the primary meaning of ‘quid’ has always been ‘one pound’ (or its equivalent). ---
**Author:** ![tstubbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@tstubbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tstubbs)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/19 "2003-08-11T13:54:40Z")
1. Are/were Quid notes printed (or maybe it is a coin)? There used to be one pound (quid) notes but these were phased out in the early eighties in favour for the relatively new pound coins. Tim. ---
**Author:** ![Methos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Methos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Methos)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quid-anyone/194090/20 "2003-08-11T15:16:24Z")
Hmmm…when I first looked at the thread I thought the answers would be completely different. The only use of the word ‘quid’ that I know of is in my Latin classes. it can mean either ‘what’, or why (quis having the same meaning), or more complicated, it can be used as an interrogative pronoun meaning ‘whose, whom, what, which’. Quid itself would be either a singular nominate case or singular accusative case. Confused yet? goood 😛