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Coinage as we knew it!

drc726

By drc726

28 comments


Several of Britain’s national symbols did not make the transition to decimal coins in 1971.
In 1968 when the decimal coins designs were first made public Britannia was not included such was the public outcry that that she was hurriedly reinstated on the largest pieces the 50p.
In 2008 (the biggest change since decimalisation) several national symbols vanished forever from our coins and Britannia finally reached the end of her career – she has been on British coins for over 300 years without a break. Also in 2008 the Portcullis, which had been on the 12 sided threepenny, piece and then in 1971 on the 1p vanished. The Scottish Lion introduced in 1937 as a tribute to the Queen Mother survived on the 10p but that is also going. Our unbroken coin tradition is the longest in the world and these were part of that tradition it seems we made no public outcry this time? I salute you Britannia not much survives over 300 but you did and played your part in our history.
(my thanks to the London Mint Office for the information)

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Comments

 

I miss the words we used for our coinage such as florin, crown, 1/2crown, farthing, thrupence, tanner and shilling. They all sounded so much nicer than 10 pence piece or 50 pence

9 Oct, 2009

 

Yes they did Pipsqueak decimal coins lack imagination in their design and I dont think we are fond of then enough to give them nicknames?

9 Oct, 2009

 

Deida 51 uploaded a photo to GoY of a 1949 farthing coin with a cute little wren on it. You can see it on page 13 of my favourite photos. :o)

Yes, words like farthing and florin are fascinating....
Do none of the new coins have "nicknames".... should we suggest some ?

9 Oct, 2009

 

It was a wren on the farthing Tt and yes they were cute

9 Oct, 2009

 

I've taken a closer look at Deida's pic. Yes, it is a lovely little bird...:o)

9 Oct, 2009

 

I remember in Welsh using the word 'grot' ( grote ) for four old pennies. And guinea is another word we've lost. It was £1 and 1 shilling.
But I do think sometimes it is time to let go and move on.....

9 Oct, 2009

mad
Mad
 

I'm really sorry drc 726 but I just can't get bothered by coins or national symbols. I feel it is people who make a nation and I prefer to look to the future. I do enjoy a bit of nostalgia now and then, but I feel it is more about being young at the time, and sometimes seeing the past through rose-coloured specs.

9 Oct, 2009

 

I can remember when a bag of chips cost thrupence ! lol :-)

9 Oct, 2009

 

If you had a ten bob note you where rich.

9 Oct, 2009

 

My Gran use to send us 5 bob postal orders for our birthdays. Mavis

9 Oct, 2009

 

I can only just remember the changeover to decimal...& a bag of crisps was 12p!

9 Oct, 2009

 

At the changeover I was working at Woolies as a 'Saturday girl' on the tills, and I seem to remember it being chaos !! lol

9 Oct, 2009

 

Horses are still traded in guineas so all is not lost if you have thousands to spare Hywel.
I used to get a thrupenny bit off my Grandma on a Sunday and it bought a Milky Way she increased it to a tanner so I could get a Walnut Whip

9 Oct, 2009

 

I remember the change over. It was very wierd. I liked the old threpenny bits and big flat pennies. I've still got a penny collection after all these years. I think I've got one minted in 1899 if I remember rightly.
Didn't a bag of crisps used to cost 6 d? I remember the little twist of salt in the blue paper at the bottom of the bag of crisps too......They don't still do that do they?

10 Oct, 2009

 

Yes, they do Gilli ! lol

10 Oct, 2009

 

I found a silver thrupenny in the floor of my first flat, gave it to my gran , who kept it in her purse, as she won £100 at the bingo that night! (a lot of pennies in1977!)

10 Oct, 2009

 

Really? That is so cool.....I'll have to come over just to see that again. I used to throw the little bag of salt into the sea in Bridlington when I was a little 'un.....thought it would make the sea more salty.

11 Oct, 2009

 

Lol !! Used to go up there when I was young as well, but to the next one along, Scarborough :-)

11 Oct, 2009

 

We had a caravan in Bridlington which we went to in the summer. My Grandparents lived in Scarborough and I know it very well. We stayed with them for 8 months before we emigrated. My Grandad went for long walks all over town everyday. I used to go along with him. I love Scarborough. It is one of my all time favourite places and I have many happy memories of there.

11 Oct, 2009

 

We used to go to a holiday camp which was on the hill above North Bay. It was called 'Colley's Cosy Camp" !!! LOL (Very Hi de HI ... but it was in the 60/70's !!) Then there was the Naval battle in was it Peasolm Park ?? Also, I remember collecting winkles and cooking them !! Luverly !! Lol :-))

11 Oct, 2009

 

Yes, Peasholm Park had the Naval battle. Great wasn't it? Do you remember the little train that went along to Scalby Mills? We used to walk down to the North Bay and along and around the castle headland and to the harbour to watch the fishermen unload their catch. Then along to the Cliff tram. I think it cost thrupence for a ride to the top. :o)

11 Oct, 2009

 

I remember the train !! Also went here on my first holiday as a teenager without Mom and Dad ! Happy days ...... (sigh!) Lol :-)))

11 Oct, 2009

 

What a small world it can be I was born in Hull and we had a caravan in Bridlington dad took me mackeral fishing one night I have never forgotten that night. Lovely coast line. I would like to go back just to ride on the Bridlington Eye.

11 Oct, 2009

 

Hi Gilli - the salt twists started by Smith in 1910 (because the public kept stealing his salt cellars) disapperared in 1967 with ready salted crisps. The blue bags of salt were re-introduced (about 2003) they are flat and square and no longer twists.

11 Oct, 2009

 

Sue Drc and Gilli, all making me nostalgic. We moved to a village just outside Scarborough when I was young and I would walk the coast road into Scarborugh to the North Bay on fine days when I wasn't at school. Went to the big Hull fair at the end of the season and I remember the blue bags, much better than ready salted

11 Oct, 2009

 

Pipsqueak do you remember a place on Hull docks called Kay's Cafe? been trying to get a pic for years. I only went to Hull fair once as we left when I was 5.

11 Oct, 2009

 

No sorry Drc as I only went for the fair. We did go to a cafe but couldn't tell you the name. Only went a couple of times.Moved back to York after 18mths

11 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks Pipsqueak.

11 Oct, 2009

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