Lenticular Decimal Currency Calculator

A wonderful recent find from a lovely little antique shop in Holt, Norfolk. Given all the recent material Ive been posting relating to decimalisation, I had to have this fantastic little currency converter. The photo above ( excuse the distortion!) shows the two different views of the card. Tip it one way and it displays old money, flip it the other and it reveals the decimal equivalent.

Ever since The Sun newspaper released its Gallery of 3D Soccer stars in 1972 I've had a penchant for all things lenticular. Of course, the classic image is of the winking, asian girl.























Released by The East Anglian Trustee Saving Bank, " to help you in the change to decimals".

Britain's New Decimal Currency Mug

Following on from last August's post, Im posting this interesting find from The Staffordshire Pottery. Like the information wheel it acts as an aid for getting to grips with Decimalisation. On February 15 1971 Britain's currency moved over from the old system of pounds, shillings and pence, to the new one, where there was 100 pence in the pound.

The photo above shows the mug from three sides. Its interesting that old money is represented by a stencil font, that in my mind seems more evocative of pop art and the sixties, than my notion of old money.

Im fascinated by these items that document, what at the time, must have seemed like radical change. It may take a while, but soon the changes are accepted, and the old system becomes history. These artifacts remain the only reminder of the fear, authorities had, that the public would not embrace the new system.

I have a tea towel that records a similar moment in the Seventies, when the British electrical wiring system changed. I promise to post it soon!

UK Decimal Currency Converter 1971

On Monday 15 February 1971, Britain went decimal. Old money - pounds, shillings and pence was replaced by a new system that had a 100 pence in the pound. Shillings became a thing of the past!

There was much confusion at the time and a whole set of promotional items were created to launch and promote the new money. Todays post is a rather nice information wheel which converts old money into new.