What’s in Roxana’s Wallet?

British Money, pre 1971 Pounds, Shillings, Pence (l.s.d.)

1 POUND = 20 SHILLINGS = 240 PENCE

Basic paper unit is the one pound note or bill (symbol is either l. or ₤ ) based on a pound of silver (pound is still referred to as pounds sterling)

20 shillings (a shilling is a coin) = 1 pound symbol for shilling = s

*21 shillings = 1 Guinea (1 pound & 1 shilling), often mentioned in Defoe

10 shillings = half pound, or half-pound note

5 shillings = “a crown”

2.5 shillings = “a half crown”

1 shilling coin= 12 pennies, or pence (symbol is d)

6 pence = a coin worth half a shilling

final penny coins = 2.5 pence coin, 1 pence coin (called a penny), 0.5 pence coin (called a ha’penny), 0.25 quarter-pence coin (called farthing)

French Money c. 1720

1 Pistole (1 Louis d’Or gold coin) = about 4 livres

1 livre = 1 pound silver

1 livre = 20 sous

1 sous = 12 deniers