Fifty years of decimalisation

[Accy cyclist]

Fifty years ago today we went all 'decimalisation'. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12346083
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Dayhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12346083

 

[HMS_Dave]

I watched this short documentary not long ago from 1970, just interesting to hear views from from half a century ago. Features the Chairman of the Decimal Currency Board Lord Fiske.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yE-wA24xJ8

 

[Accy cyclist]

 

[FrankCrank]

Was 10 years old when we went decimal - just some vague memories of all the kerfuffle. Can recall going to junior school, and at the bus stop that changeover morning my mum was trying to explain the new coin I had to hand to the conductor. Not long after the buses changed to one man operation, with a machine to drop coins in and printed out a ticket showing the coins deposited. Kids used to drop washers and things in, and I even heard a handfull of rice would make the machine happy.

For all you whipper-snappers who don't remember ye olde pre-decimal coinage

Speaking of buses, we had trolley buses in Reading, but went to diesel around this time. Great entertainment when the pole dropped down, usually at a roundabout, and the conductor jumping out to place it back up. Who needs video games eh.

 

[Dave7]

Decimalisation made sense but I seem to recall all the shops rounding the prices UP (never down) so shopping costs jumped overnight

 

[Joffey]

Fifty years ago today we went all 'decimalisation'. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12346083
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Dayhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12346083

View attachment 574027

It'll never catch on

 

[matiz]

I remember it well I was 17 working on a building site in Cradeley Heath we went to a nearby greasy spoon and payed 2p for a cuppa and 11p for a sausage & tomatoe sandwich coffee was half a p extra.

 

[winjim]

Fun twitter thread here from the daughter of the designer of the coins, about the design process and how as a small child she nearly trashed it all.


View: https://twitter.com/IronsideKate/status/1360959039379750913?s=19

 

[Dirk]

Am I the only one who still instantly converts prices back to 'old' money when out shopping?

 

[oldworld]

Decimalisation made sense but I seem to recall all the shops rounding the prices UP (never down) so shopping costs jumped overnight

It was a golden opportunity for shops to put up prices without being obvious. Not by much but prices were never rounded down. It confused my poor old mum and I had to write the new and old values on a piece of paper that she carried around with her.
Our local greengrocer just swapped the new currency for the old so things doubled in price. People paid it!!!!

 

[gom]

This still goes through my head:
Decimal points are small and round
Decimal points are funny
They divide the pence from pound
When you write in money
Not 100% sure of the exact words. Possibly sung by The Scaffold ?

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Am I the only one who still instantly converts prices back to 'old' money when out shopping?

I have been known to embarass the wife by loudly exclaiming "16 SHILLINGS, FOR A BAG OF CRISPS!!!??"

 

[PeteXXX]

I have been known to embarass the wife by loudly exclaiming "16 SHILLINGS, FOR A BAG OF CRISPS!!!??"

Me too!! Ten Bob for a doughnut!

 

[mistyoptic]

There used to be an optician round here with 4 EYE

Me too!! Ten Bob for a doughnut!

And as for the price of chocolate...

I remember when a half pound bar of Cadburys Dairy Milk was two bob

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Penny wafers for a ha'penny