# UK currency question(s)... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 28, 2002, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461 "2002-06-28T21:08:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/41 "2002-07-02T14:30:03Z")
Remember reading in a children’s book years ago of a “hatling” described as “half a farthing”. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/42 "2002-07-02T16:43:55Z")
**Celyn** , we’ll be spending a little time in Glasgow, but only because that’s where we’re arriving and departing from - most of our trip will be spent in Aberdeen and various places in the Highlands. Pity, I’ve heard good things about Glasgow, but it looks like I’ll only see it in passing. **G. Odoreida** , thanks for the reassurance - I wasn’t too worried about Bank of England notes, I just wanted Scottish currency in case we decide not to get our leftovers converted back into American cash. I was more worried about being able to count the money and pay for purchases without too much head scratching and asking for guidance…looks like I’ll be able to keep that to a minimum thanks to everyone who’s posted in this thread. Last thing I wanted was to hold out a handful of money and say “is this enough?” ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/43 "2002-07-02T19:06:23Z")
Small detail on shorthanding British currency: the penny that was 1/240 of a pound was abbreviated _d_, from _denarius_; when decimalization went into place, the term penny was used for 1/100 of a pound and abbreviated p. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/44 "2002-07-02T19:23:15Z")
Gold star for **Polycarp** 🙂 and the £ was L for _librae_ and the shilling S, for _solidii_, so we rather cutely called our currency L.S.D. Strange country! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/45 "2002-07-02T19:46:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\ ***Quid** meaning a pound in British slang, goes back to 1688 in print. > > _Quid pro quo_ appears in 1565, and meant \* one thing in exchange for another.\* There is conjecture that the “quid” is a shortening of the phrase, but we’ll probably never know. \*\* Somewhere in the distant past I was told that the origin of the word “quid” came from tobacco. Apparently pipe tobacco was twisted into a tight roll from which the smoker cut off a section which he then rubbed to a consistency suitable for filling his pipe. The interior of the section cut off was a bright golden colour and the disc of tobacco resembled a guinea piece. (A guinea was an old British gold coin worth (then) 21 shillings.) Presumably the “quid” first was used as slang for guinea and when this coin was withdrawn and replaced by the pound (although paper) the term “quid” stuck. I seem to recall that one of my friends who served in the Royal Navy during WW2 twisted his tobacco into rolls which were flavoured with naval rum. ---
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/46 "2002-07-02T20:40:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by toscar \* > \*\* > > Somewhere in the distant past I was told that the origin of the word “quid” came from tobacco. Apparently pipe tobacco was twisted into a tight roll from which the smoker cut off a section which he then rubbed to a consistency suitable for filling his pipe. The interior of the section cut off was a bright golden colour and the disc of tobacco resembled a guinea piece. (A guinea was an old British gold coin worth (then) 21 shillings.) Presumably the “quid” first was used as slang for guinea and when this coin was withdrawn and replaced by the pound (although paper) the term “quid” stuck. > I seem to recall that one of my friends who served in the Royal Navy during WW2 twisted his tobacco into rolls which were flavoured with naval rum. \*\* Further to the above I’ve now looked up QUID in Chambers Dictionary which reminds me that tobacco quids were chewed as well as smoked! C127236 quid1 kwid, (slang) noun a pound sterling (£); (formerly) a guinea: plural C127237 quid; or in sense of ready money (obsolete slang) C127238 quids. C127239 not the full quid (Australian colloquial) simple-minded, dopey. C127240 quids in (slang) in a very favourable or profitable situation. ORIGIN: Origin obscure C127241 quid2 kwid, noun something chewed or kept in the mouth, especially a piece of tobacco. ORIGIN: cud C127242 quid3 kwid, noun that which a thing is, substance. ORIGIN: Latin, what ---
**Author:** ![QueenAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/d26b3c/32.png) [@QueenAl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QueenAl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/47 "2002-07-03T00:26:08Z")
Illuminating debate - I had no idea that BoE banknotes were not, officially, legal tender in Scotland! Most shops in London will accept Scottish notes, but some will not for fear of forgeries. Forgers often pass off fake Scottish notes in England because English shopkeepers aren’t as aware of what they are supposed to look like and are less likely to spot the fakes. Enjoy your trip, **Kilt-wearin’ Man**! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/48 "2002-07-03T04:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Loopus \* > \*\*Ah yes, and the 2p coin is called a “copper.” Everyone hates a copper, since they’re big and next to worthless. I don’t even know why they mint them, as people seem to get rid of them as soon as they get them. Chairity boxes and beggar’s hats are always filled with coppers. Today, I even heard a saleslady apologize for giving someone a copper in his change. > \*\* How close to worthless are they? Many people in the US have a similar attitude towards pennies- some even throw them away(not that it’s techinally legal to do so)- since they are a fairly useless currency, being only 1/100th of a dollar. What fraction of a pound are coppers? Intresting that they’re both made of copper, or are supposed to be, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/49 "2002-07-03T07:11:25Z")
Coppers are either 1p or 2p pieces, so that’s 1/100th or 1/50th of a pound. I don’t know many people that throw them away, but I won’t pick one up if I drop it or see one on the ground. The high street banks will change coins for free providing you use specially marked bags containing a set number of coins (to make it easier to weigh them). I usually pile up the low value coins and change them every few months. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/50 "2002-07-03T08:08:33Z")
Out of interest, whereabouts in Scotland are you visiting? ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/51 "2002-07-03T12:31:14Z")
I don’t have a magnet handy to check, but I believe that these days “copper” coins in the UK are made from steel with a bronze coating. In the district where I work lots of peple are too lazy/overpaid to pick up anything smaller than a 50 pence coin if they drop one :(. BTW, Please can everyone stop calling the coins “pee”? I know it started as a way of distinguishing them from the old “denarii”, but it gets on my nerves. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/52 "2002-07-03T19:21:19Z")
**everton** you don’t happen to work around Canary Wharf do you? Most people who work there (except me) are overpaid. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/53 "2002-07-03T19:53:48Z")
The Square Mile **jonnyb** (same difference I’m sure you’ll agree). I found a magnet - pennies do indeed stick to it easily enough. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461/54 "2002-07-04T02:34:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gary Kumquat \* > \*\*Out of interest, whereabouts in Scotland are you visiting? \*\* Why, thank you for asking. We’ll be arriving in Glasgow, but we’ll only be there long enough to drive away from the airport. We’re going to spend several days in Aberdeen and the surrounding area (including the Aboyne Highland Games), then we’ll be off to Inverness, Wick, down Loch Ness to Glencoe, then a couple of days in Edinburgh (including the Military Tattoo) and we’ll leave from Glasgow. In all, this will take 12 days. It all begins in less than 4 weeks. My wife and I are breathless with anticipation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-currency-question-s/116461.md?page=2)