# Were there any protests when the UK moved away from its old duodecimal currency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391 "2008-08-18T06:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/21 "2008-08-18T22:25:16Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] What about Canada? [/QUOTE] Decimal currency has been issued in Canada since 1858. I’m not sure exactly what the country was using before, but I would assume it was a mix of American and British currency. So I guess the change wasn’t too painful. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/22 "2008-08-18T22:31:28Z")
I travelled in England in the summer of '71 and often had to explain to the elderly shop keepers how the new money worked. It was fun. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/23 "2008-08-18T22:48:25Z")
[QUOTE=Hypnagogic Jerk] Decimal currency has been issued in Canada since 1858. I’m not sure exactly what the country was using before, but I would assume it was a mix of American and British currency. [/QUOTE] You’re correct; it was both, plus Spanish dollars as well, according to A History of the Canadian Dollar, published by the Bank of Canada (warning: PDF). It seems that trying to maintain the use of British currency in Canada was doomed to failure. From page 19 of the linked document: > [@](#): > > During the eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth, the pound sterling (pounds, shillings, and pence) was the unit of account in British North America. Given the scarcity of British coins,however, and the prevalence and wide acceptance of Spanish silver dollars, it became increasingly difficult to maintain a currency system based on sterling. The introduction of the U.S. dollar (modelled on the Spanish dollar) in the United States in 1792, together with growing trade links between Upper and Lower Canada and the United States, also favoured the use of dollars. The widespread use and popularity of the dollar stymied periodic efforts by the imperial authorities in British North America to establish a common monetary system throughout the British Empire based on pounds, shillings, and pence. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/24 "2008-08-18T22:50:14Z")
[QUOTE=hibernicus] Ha’pennies (of the “new” variety) were still in use in Ireland when I was a child in the 1970s. [/QUOTE] And 1980s, unless I’m dreaming. Same size as a Euro 1 cent coin. About as worthless too. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/25 "2008-08-18T23:36:45Z")
In a ‘look back’ TV programme in 2001 they recalled massive preparations by the Decimalisation Board for chaos and confusion - and nothing happened. With one or two grumbles people switched over peaceably enough. The unspoken subtext was the Euro, whose advent was then pending. “in thirty years time, you’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about”. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/26 "2008-08-19T00:26:28Z")
[QUOTE=Mk VII] In a ‘look back’ TV programme in 2001 they recalled massive preparations by the Decimalisation Board for chaos and confusion - and nothing happened. With one or two grumbles people switched over peaceably enough. The unspoken subtext was the Euro, whose advent was then pending. “in thirty years time, you’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about”. [/QUOTE] Would that we had seen the YK2 issue the same way. For this Uhmurican (who was at Canturbury Cathedral one Easter morning), could someone explain how many pence to a shilling, and how many shillings to a pound? Is it as ridiculous as magical money presented in the Harry Potter books? Vlad/Igor ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/27 "2008-08-19T00:33:50Z")
12 pennies in a shilling, and twenty shillings in a pound. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/28 "2008-08-19T00:52:48Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] How smoothly did decimalisation go in Australia & New Zealand? [/QUOTE] I’m just a little young to recall [decimalisation in NZ](http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/news/2007/3058303.html) … being about one year old at the time… but from what I recall from my folks (and my Granddad particularly) there was a fair bit of preparation done and despite some grumbling that the new system was too complicated (?!) it all went pretty smoothly. Granddad had a bunch of the toy money that was made to teach cashiers about the new coins… our conversion system was a bit different to the UK: 1 shilling =\> 10 cents 1 florin =\> 20 cents 1 crown =\>50 cents 1 pound =\> 2 dollars The new coins were the same size and had the same designs on them as the coins they replaced; for many years later you could still find a shilling or a florin or a in your change, and people simply used them as 10 or 20 cent pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/29 "2008-08-19T04:21:37Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] How smoothly did decimalisation go in Australia & New Zealand? Both countries went even farther than the UK; switching from pounds, shillings, & pence to dollars & cents. [/QUOTE] Decimalisation day in Australia was 14 February 1966. The Reserve Bank has some information on the process [here.](http://www.rba.gov.au/Museum/Displays/1960_1988_rba_and_reform_of_the_currency/introducing_the_new_decimal_notes.html) A “catchy” character - Dollar Bill - was used in the advertising campaign, with a song set to a well-known Australian tune. I remember my parents saying that apart from the inevitable complaints from a minority, the changeover went smoothly. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/30 "2008-08-19T10:19:40Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] I miss the old Irish coins, despite only seeing them on holidays, the Giant Elk on the one Punt coin, the deer on the 20p piece, salmon IIRC on the 10p piece. [/QUOTE] I kept a set when we converted to Euros. I lived in England during the conversion to decimalisation and don’t remember anyone making much of a fuss … ---
**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:** [August 19, 2008, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/31 "2008-08-19T11:47:06Z")
I recall that the schools had cardboard versions of the various coins for several years beforehand to get the children used to them. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/32 "2008-08-19T12:07:47Z")
[QUOTE=Lobelia Overhill] I kept a set when we converted to Euros [/QUOTE] Mum bought me a set of Irish decimal coins back in the 80s when the Euro was pretty far off. It lacks the large Punt coin, but the others are quite pretty in themselves, especially the funky design on the bronze coins. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/33 "2008-08-19T17:44:59Z")
I remember people continuing to refer to “shillings” after decimalisation, meaning 5 new pence. The 5p coin was identical to the shilling coin, and in fact many 1s coins remained in circulation doing service as 5p for years. As late as 1983 (12 years after decimalisation) my head teacher told us each to bring two pounds ten to school the next day. We duly each brought in £2.10. He was mystified - he had meant to tell us to bring in £2.50 (and was convinced that he had in fact said “two pounds fifty”, but unthinkingly said “two pounds ten [shillings]” (the equivalent denomination in old money). ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/34 "2008-08-19T20:58:42Z")
[QUOTE=NineToTheSky] When I was very young, we still had farthings. Now, there \*were \*dinky! [/QUOTE] I can (just) remember half-farthings. You wouldn’t get much for one of those these days. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/35 "2008-08-19T21:16:08Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] How smoothly did decimalisation go in Australia & New Zealand? Both countries went even farther than the UK; switching from pounds, shillings, & pence to dollars & cents. [/QUOTE] I lived through the change in Australia: it went pretty smoothly. I think the banks were closed for 4 days immediately before dismal guernsey was introduced. I think the change to $1 = 10 old shillings was easier for in-the-head calculations than the British conversion. I heard that the main reason why the British did it their way was to preserve the pound Sterling as an internationally recognised currency unit. Advantages of making the cent half as big were that Australia and New Zealand did not need half cent coins (Britain had half new pence coins for a while), and the old 6d coin could be used as a new 5c coin. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/36 "2008-08-19T22:16:10Z")
[QUOTE=Myglaren] I can (just) remember half-farthings. You wouldn’t get much for one of those these days. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Oh come on now! Aren’t you supposed to tell us it would get you a ticket to the cinema with enough left over for a bag of chips and your 'bus fare home? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/37 "2008-08-20T08:26:02Z")
[QUOTE=Myglaren] I can (just) remember half-farthings. You wouldn’t get much for one of those these days. 🙂 [/QUOTE] You must be pretty old. They were in circulation between 1828–1868. [Wiki cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_bank_notes_and_coins) ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/38 "2008-08-20T09:50:28Z")
[QUOTE=hibernicus] I remember people continuing to refer to “shillings” after decimalisation, meaning 5 new pence. The 5p coin was identical to the shilling coin, and in fact many 1s coins remained in circulation doing service as 5p for years. [/QUOTE] I still refer to an amount of 25 eurocents as ‘a quarter’ even though we don’t actually have such a coin anymore. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2008, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/39 "2008-08-20T11:15:42Z")
We did consider going to a ten-shilling pound at one time, but eventually decided to bypass the shilling altogether and settle for a hundred-penny pound. Now, of course, inflation has made a nonsense of the monetary values involved, but that’s a different issue (and would have happened anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391/40 "2008-08-20T11:46:25Z")
Terry Pratchett covered this in Good Omens. > [@](#): > > NOTE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND AMERICANS: One shilling=Five Pee. It helps to understand the antique finances of the Withcfinder Army if you know the original British monetary system: > > ``` > Two farthings = One Ha'penny. Two ha'pennies = One Penny. Three pennies = A Thrupenny Bit. Two Thrupences = A Sixpence. Two Sixpences = One Shilling, or Bob. Two Bob = A Florin. One Flroin and one Sixpence = Half a Crown. Four Half Crowns = Ten Bob Note. Two Ten Bob Notes = One Pound (or 240 pennies). One Pound and One Shilling = One Guinea. > > ``` > > The British resisted decimalized currency for a long time because they thought it was too complicated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-protests-when-the-uk-moved-away-from-its-old-duodecimal-currency/460391.md?page=3)