D Day

Fifty years ago today was D Day, when the UK's currency finally went decimal, over 140 years since the change was first considered in the 1820s. After the old system with 12 pence in a shilling, and 20 shillings in a pound, and numerous different coins (explained here for those of you too young to remember!), handling the 'new money' was unbelievably easy.

The changeover was arranged over a 5-year period, and the first decimal coins issued in 1968, to give shoppers a chance to get used to them before the old system was scrapped. Seventeen at the time, I had a weekend job, and each Friday after school, and all day Saturday worked on the tills at Keymarkets supermarket in Norwich. All the cashiers had several training sessions using plastic 'coins' to make sure that we were ready for the big day, which came and went without too much fuss. Though it took some people a long while to get used to the new coins and, at first, it wasn't uncommon for someone to stand by the till and request that you take what they owed from their purse!

Now, if only we could fully commit to decimalisation and dispense with pounds and ounces...

Lockdown 3, day 42