Probably only Interesting to me

[wlewisiii]

I had these coin folders for most of my collection that I didn't trust the plastic in. So I bought new binder and some better sheets like I've been using for my shilling run and transferred everything over today. While moving the Elizabeth II sets - both l/s/d & decimal - I noticed something that struck me as interesting. 

Back when the UK changed to decimal, the new 5p & 10p were made the size and weight of the shilling and florin respectively. That ended in 1990 and then over the next couple of years the 5p, 10p, and 50p were made physically smaller. 

Also in there though the £1 coins and the £2 coins were introduced. The bi-metal £1 is essentially the same diameter and just a bit heavier than a shilling was. The bi-metal £2 coin is almost exactly the size and weight of the florin. I looked at the value of the 1966 shilling at the Bank of England's inflation calculator and even more humorously, the shillings buying power then was £0.82 in December of 2025 - a florin equaling £1.74 now. Not too far off from £1 & £2 pound coins! 

Perhaps the UK should introduce a circulating £5 coin of 32.5mm and 14.14 grams... ? 🤣

[Sword]

I haven't been carrying coins on me for many years now and pay for most things by contactless. Large coins wouldn't be considered convenient by many people I think. But I still carry notes and pay for things like takeaway deliveries by cash. 

[wlewisiii]

Oh, I understand it's hardly practical. Just struck me as a humorous idea, especially since I do use a fair bit of currency and coins in commerce here in the US. 

[Chris Perkins]

My idea a few years ago was to do away with the 1p and 2p because they are comparatively expensive to make and fiddly to deal with, and have the 5p as the smallest denomination in regular use, as is already the case in some countries (I think NZ and Australia have 5c as their smallest in-use coin). But with a just-for-fun and British quirky twist - have it renamed as a 'Shilling' (dually featuring both '5' and 'Shilling' in the design).

Items could then be priced in Pounds and Shillings if so desired, but it would still be decimal and technically nothing would change, there would still be 100 pennies in a pound and the 5p would still be 1/20th of a pound just like it and the shilling always were. Merchants could price exactly the same as now, e.g. £3.40 or they could be brave and price as £3/8 for the novelty value. Most would no doubt stick to the way it is now, but it would be fun to have pounds and shillings, and perhaps shillings could catch on at least colloquially. 

The 10p could be called a florin and the 20p a double florin. The 50p would be 10 shillings, obviously.

I think it would be fun thing, but it's no doubt too late to re-establish any kind of shilling now, even in name only, for 2 reasons -

1. People who fondly remember using actual shillings are becoming scarcer so there really isn't much nostalgic connection with shillings, florins etc among the general public as a whole and the concept of having £1 made up of 20 of something would be confusing for many. And..

2. Physical cash in everyday use for payment of most things is being overtaken by electronic alternatives, so use of actual cash is dwindling and is very likely to continue on a downward trend. 

Pie in the sky. Maybe it could have worked 20 or 30 years ago!

 

 

[copper123]

Are governments about "Fun" things? from my experience over the last 50 years or so I say no

[Coinery]

OMGoodness! Not the first name on a party list I’m guessing? 😩