In these days of decimalisation of currency, it is difficult to understand the currency used in Britain before that country 'went decimal' in 1971. The following chart may help to explain it. Money was divided into pounds (£) shillings (s. or /-) and pennies (d.). Thus, 4 pounds, eight shillings and fourpence would be written as £4/8/4d. or £4-8-4d. There were: *20 shillings in £1 - a shilling was often called 'bob', so 'ten bob' was 10/- *12 pennies in1 shilling *240 pennies in £1 Pennies were broken down into other coins: *A farthing (a fourth- thing) was ¼ of a penny *Halfpenny (hay-p'ny) was ½ of a penny *Three farthings was ¾ of a penny Other coins of a value less than 1/- were *A half-groat (2d) *6 x 2d = 1/- *A threepenny bit (3d) made of silver 4 x 3d. = 1/- *A groat (4d) 3