1797-1811 1811-1816 1816-1833 1833-1836 1836-1848 1849-1856 1856-1874 1874-1887 1887-1890 1890-1915 1797-1811 The issue of Guineas was stopped in 1797, during the Napoleonic Wars. That lead to the introduction of bank notes and in 1804 Dollars – overstruck Spanish 8 Real pieces (pieces of eight) were issued as an emergency measure at a value of 4s 9d. They were soon replaced by Bank of England dollars, worth 5s. In English slang, the term dollar for a value of 5s lasted until decimalisation. Farthing = 1/4 penny   Half penny = 1/2 penny   Penny = basic monetary unit   Twopence = 2 pence   Penny = basic monetary unit   Twopence = 2 pence   Threepence = 3 pence   Fourpence = 4 pence   Sixpence = 6 pence   Shilling = 12 pence = 1s   Half crown = 30 pence = 2s 6d   Crown = 60 pence = 5s   Dollar (Emergency Issue) = 57 pence = 4s 9d   Dollar (Bank of England) = 60 pence = 5s   Third guinea = 84 pence = 7s   Half guinea = 126 pence = 10s 6d   Top of Page 1811-1816 In 1811, the Bank of England issued the first token money – coins whose value was greater than the value of the metal they contained. These were the three shilling, eighteen pence, and nine pence silver tokens. Farthing = 1/4 penny   Half penny = 1/2 penny   Penny = basic monetary unit   Twopence = 2 pence   Penny = basic monetary unit   Twopence = 2 pence   Threepence = 3 pence   Fourpence = 4 pence   Sixpence = 6 pence   Nine pence = 9 pence   Shilling = 12 pence = 1s   Eighteen pence = 18 pence = 1s 6d   Half crown = 30 pence = 2s 6d   Three shilling = 36 pence = 3s   Crown = 60 pence = 5s   Dollar = 60 pence = 5s   Third guinea = 84 pence = 7s   Half guinea = 126 pence = 10s 6d   Top of Page 1816-1833 In 1816, the basis of English money changed from the value of silver to the value of gold. We adopted the Gold Standard. From now onwards, the intrinsic value of silver coins would be substantially below their face value. The Guinea was withdrawn and the basic monetary unit became the pound, which was represented by the Sovereign coin. Farthing = 1/4d   Half penny = 1/2d   Penny = £1/240 = 1/12s = 1d   Sixpence = £1/40 = 1/2s = 6 pence   Shilling = £1/20 = 1s = 12d   Half crown = £1/8 = 2s 6d =30d   Crown = £1/4 = 5s   Half sovereign = £1/2 = 10s   Sovereign £1 Basic monetary unit = 20s   Two pounds = £2 = 40s   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Top of Page 1833-1836 Although bank notes had been issued during the Napoleonic Wars, they did not become legal tender until 1833. At this time a bank note was a promissory note that could be exchanged for the equivalent amount in gold coins. Freed from the need to carry the weight of gold corresponding to the value, bank notes could and did carry much higher face values than gold coins. Farthing = 1/4d   Half penny = 1/2d   Penny = £1/240 = 1/12s = 1d   Sixpence = £1/40 = 1/2s = 6 pence   Shilling = £1/20 = 1s = 12d   Half crown = £1/8 = 2s 6d =30d   Crown = £1/4 = 5s   Half sovereign = £1/2 = 10s   Sovereign £1 Basic monetary unit = 20s   Two pounds = £2 = 40s   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Pound = £1   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Ten Pounds = £10   Twenty Pounds = £20   Fifty Pounds = £50   One Hundred Pounds = £100   Five Hundred Pounds = £500   One Thousand Pounds = £1,000   Top of Page 1836-1848 The Groat reappeared in 1836 Farthing = 1/4d   Half penny = 1/2d   Penny = £1/240 = 1/12s = 1d   Groat = £1/60 = 1/3s = 4d   Sixpence = £1/40 = 1/2s = 6 pence   Shilling = £1/20 = 1s = 12d   Half crown = £1/8 = 2s 6d =30d   Crown = £1/4 = 5s   Half sovereign = £1/2 = 10s   Sovereign £1 Basic monetary unit = 20s   Two pounds = £2 = 40s   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Pound = £1   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Ten Pounds = £10   Twenty Pounds = £20   Fifty Pounds = £50   One Hundred Pounds = £100   Five Hundred Pounds = £500   One Thousand Pounds = £1,000   Top of Page 1849-1856 Decimalisation appeared on the horizon in 1849, with the introduction of the Florin, worth £1/10 or 2s. The half-crown was discontinued. The threepence had reappeared in 1848. Farthing = 1/4d   Half penny = 1/2d   Penny = £1/240 = 1/12s = 1d   Threepence = 3 pence   Groat = £1/60 = 1/3s = 4d   Sixpence = £1/40 = 1/2s = 6 pence   Shilling = £1/20 = 1s = 12d   Florin = £1/10 = 2s =24d   Crown = £1/4 = 5s   Half sovereign = £1/2 = 10s   Sovereign £1 Basic monetary unit = 20s   Two pounds = £2 = 40s   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Pound = £1   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Ten Pounds = £10   Twenty Pounds = £20   Fifty Pounds = £50   One Hundred Pounds = £100   Five Hundred Pounds = £500   One Thousand Pounds = £1,000   Top of Page 1856-1874 Although the groat was minted as late as 1888 for use in British Guiana, it disappeared from use in England in 1856 Farthing = 1/4d   Half penny = 1/2d   Penny = £1/240 = 1/12s = 1d   Threepence = 3 pence   Sixpence = £1/40 = 1/2s = 6 pence   Shilling = £1/20 = 1s = 12d   Florin = £1/10 = 2s =24d   Crown = £1/4 = 5s   Half sovereign = £1/2 = 10s   Sovereign £1 Basic monetary unit = 20s   Two pounds = £2 = 40s   Five pounds = £5 = 100s   Pound = £1   </