Shillings, etc.
Americans used English money as late as the early 19th century. The old
pre-decimal English currency was,
Four Farthings or Two Halfpennies = One Penny ( 1d - was the shorthand )
Two pennies = Tuppence Six pennies = Sixpence
Threepenny bit [pronounced 'threpney bit'] = Three penny piece
[from Marilyn Johnson]
Twelve pennies = One Shilling ( 1s - was shorthand )
Two Shillings = One Florin [The value changed through time from two shillings
to six shillings (thanks to Gerard Koeppel).]
Two Shilings and Six pence = Half a crown
Five shillings = One Crown
Twenty shillings = One Pound
Sovereign [gold piece] = One Pound [from Marilyn Johnson]
One pound and One shilling = One guinea
When England went decimal in the 1970's, instead of 240 pennies to the pound,
they changed to 100 pence to the pound.