Decimal Day - 40 Years Ago Today
Discussion
Laurel Green said:
Matt Harper said:
Churchill's mug, but my Mum told me to treasure and keep it, as some day it would be worth a lot of money...
I assumed that it would comfortably fund my retirement, is this not so?????
Don't know of the value but, I have a few of those too. Also a tea-caddy full of three penny bits.I assumed that it would comfortably fund my retirement, is this not so?????
As someone else, beer at 10p a pint was a novelty but a nice bit of rounding up from 1/11d - nice work if you could get it.
My first purchase in decimal coinage was at the canteen in Cardinal House in Farringdon Road where I worked in the Post Office Photographic Unit. Our lives all changed that day and not, in my view, much for the better.
40 years down the line though, I do wish that we could get rid of the 1p and 2p coins and only work in multiples of 5p.
My first purchase in decimal coinage was at the canteen in Cardinal House in Farringdon Road where I worked in the Post Office Photographic Unit. Our lives all changed that day and not, in my view, much for the better.
40 years down the line though, I do wish that we could get rid of the 1p and 2p coins and only work in multiples of 5p.
My Dad's convinced I was "the smart one who helped him through decimilisation" .... I should coco, Dad. I was 6 months old, FFS!
Silly old duffer had me confused with my eldest brother who would have been 7 - even then it's worrying that a7 year old would have had better maths skills than my Dad who would have been 27 then!
Silly old duffer had me confused with my eldest brother who would have been 7 - even then it's worrying that a7 year old would have had better maths skills than my Dad who would have been 27 then!
Eric Mc said:
Anyone old enough to remember it?
I wonder what type of country we would have today if we had retained the old "£ s d" system?
Remember it!!!....FFS I was 23 yrs old at the time.....not everyone on here is still in nappies and wet behind the ears ya know although I sometimes wonder.....;)I wonder what type of country we would have today if we had retained the old "£ s d" system?
Eric Mc said:
crofty1984 said:
Tyre Smoke said:
Sixteen shillings and eight pence.
About 83p in metric money.
But back then, it would buy you a house. So I'm told.About 83p in metric money.
Sold 5 years back for £145,000
I remember it well. I got 5 shillings a week pocket money at the time and felt vaugely ripped off that instead of getting 60 pennies a week I now only got 25. 
Still, pre or post decimal that amount bought 20 Players number 6 and a box of matches which was the standard measure of wealth in the early 1970s
Still, pre or post decimal that amount bought 20 Players number 6 and a box of matches which was the standard measure of wealth in the early 1970s
My "standard" benchmark is the price of a Series 1 Airfix kit (the ones in the plastic bags or later, blister packs). By 1972, these were selling for 23p. Many of the same models are still available today from AIrfix and they now retail for between £4.99 and £6.99 - depending on what style box they are in.
The standard Mars Bar for me. They were 7d; same as a Lyons fruit pie.*
Mars Bars are about four hundred quid now, aren't they?
* Lyons fruit pie: a square pie of sweet short pastry top and bottom, fruit filling and an air space. They were almost exactly the same dimensions as the cardboard box they came it and each one contained enough sugar and fat to feed a mining community for a week. Packaging? Hah! No cellophane, just a bit of foil on the bottom and greasy cardboard. If they made them now they'd have at least three more layers of packaging and several health warnings.
Mars Bars are about four hundred quid now, aren't they?
* Lyons fruit pie: a square pie of sweet short pastry top and bottom, fruit filling and an air space. They were almost exactly the same dimensions as the cardboard box they came it and each one contained enough sugar and fat to feed a mining community for a week. Packaging? Hah! No cellophane, just a bit of foil on the bottom and greasy cardboard. If they made them now they'd have at least three more layers of packaging and several health warnings.
Eric Mc said:
I blame the change of currency on the demise of writing and spelling. Our brains started turning to mush after 1971.
My daughter wasn't born until 1985, but in her last year in primary school (1995/96)the teacher taught her and a friend long multiplication in £sd. Just for the hell of it.Alan
Eric Mc said:
I think it is amazing how well we took it all in our strides 40 years ago. I don't remember any major degrees of whining or complaining. I certainly think that the situtaion would be very different today.
Except that prices suddenly shot up. A pint went from 2s/6d to 15p overnight. Thats 20% for those who can't work it out, and many other 'lower' priced items were also conveniently 'rounded upwards'. 
Hitler Hadrump said:
I didn't know it was decimal day today but I did have these lying on my desk. The book smells musty.
I don't remember it (barely remember 1/2p) but I do have that pack too along with the aforementioned Churchill coin, amongst others. There is a vain hope with the Euro abound that my coin collection will be worth something one day.....
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