Seriously thoughtful Decimal Currency in Britain

[neilmarr]

I was a young reporter on a local paper when the 50p coin came in. We were sent early early samples a few days in advance of general circulation and I got the job of trying to palm them off as worth ten bob in local shops. Surprising that nobody batted an eyelid.

Some old biddies when the new currency became standard in '71, though, found that they and their customers were so bewildered that they simply shut up shop.

On D-Day itself, I recall Ena Sharples on the UK TV soap 'Coronation Street' (Ena was never backward in coming forward in her political views in the snug of the Rover's Return) said: "It's the greatest con trick ever perpetrated against the British public."

By the way, did you know that the old 12 unit for measuing coinage and length was the invention of mathematicians long before Rome adopted it to some extent? The reason is pretty simple: Take the tip of your thumb and use it to touch the three joints in each of the four fingers of that hand. Voila -- twelve. I think it's of Sumarian origin.

Cheers. Neil

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

IBy the way, did you know that the old 12 unit for measuing coinage and length was the invention of mathematicians long before Rome adopted it to some extent? The reason is pretty simple: Take the tip of your thumb and use it to touch the three joints in each of the four fingers of that hand. Voila -- twelve. I think it's of Sumarian origin.

and Twenty Shillings to the pounds because we have twenty finger and toes I suppose?

Nope. We use base 10 because of 10 fingers, but we used base 12 because it's easily divided by 2, 3, 4 and 6. Sumerians used base 60 (not base 12), as that adds in divisibility by 5 (& 10, 12, 15, 20, 30).

[Billi]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I think you refer to metrication — adopting the international metric (SI) weights and measures.

Yep, I meant all measurements, I thought this threat went more general and wasn't restricted to currencies.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by wannabee

Was it a coincidence that Australia and UK went decimal on 14 Feburary? Though 5 years apart.

I can't speak for Australia. But in the UK, the 15th February was chosen because:

(i) it was a Monday (a quiet trading day);

(ii) it was in the middle of the month (not too near pay days or other regular monthly payment dates); and

(iii) it was in February (a quiet trading month).

If memory serves, the 15th, not the 14th, was the official start of decimalisation in the UK. But, as an exception, London Transport (who ran the buses and tubes in London at the time) had a special arrangement to give decimal change the day before

[wodin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Bring back the silver standard!
[/SIZE]

HEAR HEAR! Or the gold standard! I'm ashamed to admit that it was an American who did away with it in the first case.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

and Twenty Shillings to the pounds because we have twenty finger and toes I suppose?

Nope. We use base 10 because of 10 fingers, but we used base 12 because it's easily divided by 2, 3, 4 and 6. Sumerians used base 60 (not base 12), as that adds in divisibility by 5 (& 10, 12, 15, 20, 30).

Yes, it was the Sumarians, and remanants of it still survive in the number of degrees in a circle, and the twelve signs of the zodiac and 12 months in the year (one for each sign).

Hmm, should we change to a 400 day year of ten months each?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by wodin

Hmm, should we change to a 400 day year of ten months each?

That would require either speeding up the rotation of the Earth, or increasing its orbit. Both are a bit beyond us at the moment.

We have 12 months because there are (a bit more than) 12 lunar cycles per year.

We could certainly have 12 months each of 30 days, and have five (or six) days each year that don't belong to any month.

But I doubt we'll see any calendar changes in the next hundred years at least.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

That would require either speeding up the rotation of the Earth, or increasing its orbit. Both are a bit beyond us at the moment.

We have 12 months because there are (a bit more than) 12 lunar cycles per year.

We could certainly have 12 months each of 30 days, and have five (or six) days each year that don't belong to any month.

But I doubt we'll see any calendar changes in the next hundred years at least.

Oh ... does that mean a base sixty numbering system makes more sense than a base ten one? What's all the flap about decimal currency and metric weights, measures and temperatures about then?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by wodin

Oh ... does that mean a base sixty numbering system makes more sense than a base ten one? What's all the flap about decimal currency and metric weights, measures and temperatures about then?

Interestingly, although the Babylonians did use base sixty, they did it in much the same way we do - by using a base ten numeric system to represent the numbers from 1 to 59. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal.

A true base sixty (with separate distinct symbols for 0-59) would be very hard for humans to learn and use.

Only the US, Burma and Liberia are 'in a flap' about metrication. Most of the rest of the world moved over decades or centuries ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication

Although I admit that the UK is still not completely there. Eventually we'll start using kilometres for distances.