1905 British currency adding machine - GIF

[Jon]

1905 British currency adding machine.




Previously:

Hobo nickels: intricate carvings in coins - GIF and photos
Braille money labelling - GIF
Magnet fishing tool for coins - GIF
Spy coin - photo
Coin countertop - photo
Polishing a tarnished coin - GIF
Squeeze coin pouch - GIF
Stacked coin separating trays - GIF
Folding coin knife - GIF
Cutting coins

[mklotz]

But, there's no ring for guineas, crowns, half crowns, florins, sixpences, threepences, halfpennies, and farthings. This is what happens when your money system is as poorly designed as your measurement system.

The first time I visited the UK the old system was still in use. When I paid for something I carefully counted my change. Many times it was wrong. At first I thought it was simply the natives taking advantage of an American but later I realized that the error was as often in my favor as it was against. Apparently the system was as confusing for them as it was for me.

[desbromilow]

In 1966 Australia converted to metric currency (dollars and cents) and the conversions were published - one pence equated to a cent, a florin to 20c, etc. Problem was a florin was worth 24p, so some smart cookies converted their savings to pence, then converted the p to c, and then back up to dollars - didn't take long for the government and banks to stop that, but it shows how hard it was to do a conversion easily and correctly.

But, there's no ring for guineas, crowns, half crowns, florins, sixpences, threepences, halfpennies, and farthings. This is what happens when your money system is as poorly designed as your measurement system.

The first time I visited the UK the old system was still in use. When I paid for something I carefully counted my change. Many times it was wrong. At first I thought it was simply the natives taking advantage of an American but later I realized that the error was as often in my favor as it was against. Apparently the system was as confusing for them as it was for me.

[mklotz]

In 1966 Australia converted to metric currency (dollars and cents) and the conversions were published - one pence equated to a cent, a florin to 20c, etc. Problem was a florin was worth 24p, so some smart cookies converted their savings to pence, then converted the p to c, and then back up to dollars - didn't take long for the government and banks to stop that, but it shows how hard it was to do a conversion easily and correctly.

A bottom-up conversion (1 d = 1 c) seems wrong. The fundamental unit of currency was the pound, not the pence.

If they had used a top-down conversion starting with 1 £ = 1 $, then a florin (0.1 £) would have become 10 cents.

How did the British do it when they converted?

(Incidentally, you didn't convert to "metric" currency, you converted to "decimal" currency.)