Monetary Slang

[dnjan]

British pre-decimal currency:

2 farthings = 1 halfpenny ("ha'penny")
2 ha'pennies = 1 penny
3 pennies = 1 thru'penny bit (the silver threepence piece was a "joey")
6 pennies = 1 sixpence ("tanner")
12 pennies = 1 shilling ("bob")
2 shillings = 1 florin ("twobob bit")
2 shillings sixpence = half a crown ("half a dollar", since the coin was roughly equivalent to an American 50 cent piece)
5 shillings = 1 crown
20 shillings = 1 pound ("quid" or "sovereign")
21 shillings = 1 guinea

Thanks! I like reading Dickens, but sometimes get lost in the currency references.

 

[Doctor Strange]

A couple I've heard used in old movies that are pretty obscure now:

Simoleons (usually meaning dollars)

Spondulicks (meaning an undefined value a la money or cash)

 

[RAF Man]

British pre-decimal currency:

2 farthings = 1 halfpenny ("ha'penny")
2 ha'pennies = 1 penny
3 pennies = 1 thru'penny bit (the silver threepence piece was a "joey")
6 pennies = 1 sixpence ("tanner")
12 pennies = 1 shilling ("bob")
2 shillings = 1 florin ("twobob bit")
2 shillings sixpence = half a crown ("half a dollar", since the coin was roughly equivalent to an American 50 cent piece)
5 shillings = 1 crown
20 shillings = 1 pound ("quid" or "sovereign")
21 shillings = 1 guinea

Another to add is a groat

It was a silver four penny bit, in the old system, but disappeared long before the old system went out of use in 1971.

 

[dhermann1]

a doit?

I seem to remember a line in Shakespeare "when they haven't got a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian".
So does anyone know what a doit is?
BTW, let's not even get into the other odd forms of measurement in old Blighty, such as stones and pounds for body weight. (I weigh 14 stone and I'm holding the line right there, personally.)
Now, about time measurements: I seem to recall Ollie explaining to Stan that a jiffy was just about three shakes of a lamb's tail. That might not be official, tho.

 

[RAF Man]

I seem to remember a line in Shakespeare "when they haven't got a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian".
So does anyone know what a doit is?

What was a "Doit"?
A 'Doit' was small Dutch coin, worth about half a farthing, a similar small coin was once used in Scotland hence, any thing of small value was referred to as
"I care not a doit."

Apparently!:eusa_doh:

I've not actually heard it myself as regards money, but a localism in Yorkshire is to call someone who is a bit stupid, "they are a bit doit" but looking at it they could be linked in a round about way.

 

[Undertow]

So does quid have any other meaning beside 1bps?

I was watching Layer Cake a while ago (before I was familiar with the term "quid") and after figuring out what it meant, I thought it was the strangest sounding word I'd heard in a while.

Is there any other meaning behind the word quid?

 

[Twitch]

Don't think anyone's mentioned the phrase to cover any or all paper money- "dead presidents"

 

[Baron Kurtz]

...I know, but the Euro is ubiquitous and frequently shelled out
all over London; especially the West End.

Eh? I must've missed it . . .

bk

 

[Alan Eardley]

Eh? I must've missed it . . .

bk

I'd love to know what sort of establishments Harp frequents when in London!

Alan

 

[Alan Eardley]

Don't think anyone's mentioned the phrase to cover any or all paper money- "dead presidents"

I like the observation (probably not true) that Britons* are the only men in the world who are forced to carry a picture of someone else's wife or mother in their wallets!

* with the occasional exception of Scotsmen, before anyone points it out...

Alan

 

[Alan Eardley]

So does quid have any other meaning beside 1bps?

I was watching Layer Cake a while ago (before I was familiar with the term "quid") and after figuring out what it meant, I thought it was the strangest sounding word I'd heard in a while.

Is there any other meaning behind the word quid?

It's Latin. From quid pro quo 'this for that' implying an exchange. As in money.

Alan

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

Eh? I must've missed it . . .

bk

Me too, I've never seen anyone pay with euros anywhere!

 

[Undertow]

It's Latin. From quid pro quo 'this for that' implying an exchange. As in money.

Alan

Of course!

And I pretend to be a college graduate! Geez. Thank you VERY much for that because it really had been eating at me for a while.

 

[Edward]

I like the observation (probably not true) that Britons* are the only men in the world who are forced to carry a picture of someone else's wife or mother in their wallets!

* with the occasional exception of Scotsmen, before anyone points it out...

Alan

And the Welsh, and the Irish.......

I've known more Scots than any other though to complain about Mrs Windsor being referred to as "Elizabeth II" in relation to being queen of their country, as Elizabeth I of England never ruled Scotland, if memory serves? (Not my period of history).

Re Euros, I think there are some restaurants, souvenir shops and other places in the tourist parts of town that will take Euros. Maybe it's in preparation for the coming of the Euro as our day to day currency - looking forward to that, it'll be so convenient! (Just hope we go in when the exchange rate is an easy one to work with - don't want to end up like the folks who still convert from Sterling into "real money" as they call it!).

 

[Edward]

It's Latin. From quid pro quo 'this for that' implying an exchange. As in money.

Alan

Or information - "quid pro quo, Clarice..." lol

 

[Benny Holiday]

American money is very confusing for Aussie tourists, with the notes being all the same colour. Here, the notes are different colours, and I've often heard them referred to by correpsonding nicknames. The five dollar bill, which is a light purple, has pretty much been ignored, but the blue $10 note is called a 'blue swimmer', the $20 a 'redback', and the $50 a 'lemon'.

Why anyone would want to use these creatures as currency, though, I'm still not sure:

The Euro, or Eastern Wallaroo, Macropus Robustus. They'd be hard to fit in your wallet but then again, females come with their own inbuilt pouch!
lol

 

[DeeDub]

I remember hearing quantities of $1000 referred to as "Gs" in the old movies and TV shows, being short for the aforementioned "Grand".

I've also heard dollars referred to as "skins" or "frog hides".

 

[Harp]

I'd love to know what sort of establishments Harp frequents when in London!

Alan

I just sprinkle leftover Euros with dollars for tips...

 

[imoldfashioned]

My grandparents used to reference bills generally as greenbacks.

There's also the ubiquitous cheezy movie line when bribery is involved; "perhaps my friend Mister JACKSON could help jog your memory..."

 

[Diamondback]

Or, "I believe you lost a portrait of President Grant?"