this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2024
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[–] BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's because a quid is worth much elss that it used to be, not because a mars bar is worth more (although I'm sure some of it is increased profit margins masked as inflation gouging customers too)

[–] 3ntranced@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Hey, American here. I watch tons of old British telly and I thought i had a good understanding of currency terms but now I'm confused. I thought a quid is just another word for a pound?

While im here, is pence-pennies,tuppence-2 pennies, a shilling-like a dime or something,bob-just slang for pound? Plus you guys had the euro sort of wander in before brevity, it's all so confusing.

[–] r4venw@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I think of quid as the british equivalent of "bucks"

[–] 3ntranced@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

But a buck is 1$, and the post states 2£ compensation? Or did it cost 1£? That's where I am confusion.

[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

It cost a quid and he got two back so he can buy two mars bars.

[–] feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Tuppence is two pence, and nobody says it anymore. Shilling was twelve pence in old money. Farthing was a quarter penny. Ha'p'ny was a half penny. Bob was another word for a shilling. Crown was 60 pence, which was a quarter of a pound. Now we just have pounds and pence/pennies. It's much simpler.

[–] HowManyNimons@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A bob has always been a shilling, hence is not used any more. I've never heard of it meaning a pound.

[–] feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] 3ntranced@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Linguistics are so fun

[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Base 12 is actually simpler when you're accustomed to it. It's easier to figure out a third in base 12. The average person wasn't trading in a pound and the rich could give two shits.

It's one banana Micheal, what could it cost? Ten pounds sterling?

[–] feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

What's wild is that the guinea was one pound one shilling, but somehow also a quarter ounce of gold. £1.05 is nothing!

[–] HowManyNimons@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Most of those are old-timey pre-decimal coins. You only need to know pounds (or quid) and pennies (or pence).

[–] m4xie@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

A shilling used to be 12 pence, and there were 20 shillings in a pound for 240 pence to the pound, before we decimalised.

A dime is 10 cent, but that's just the name for the coin. Shillings used to be a part of the number system which was split into three tiers, not two with a decimal place.

Bob used to be slang for a shilling, not a pound.

We've never had the euro. The Republic of Ireland uses the euro, but if you call them British you'll get into real trouble.