On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:43:17 +0100, hounslow3 wrote:


>>
> Will Britain or the Eurozone ever get polymer notes, I wonder?

 When the Australian Mint patent expires probably. I've heard a story 
that the Eurozone investigated using Australian style plastic notes, but 
the Australian Mint holds the process very close and wouldn't release the 
process for use in Europe. If the Eurozone wanted plastic notes, they 
would have to be printed in Australia.

 So the only countries that currently have plastic notes all get the 
Australian mint to print them for them, so take up of these types of 
notes has been limited to smaller Pacific rim counties that don't have 
their own currency printing facilities or don't mind 'out sourcing' it to 
Australia.

>®i©ardo wrote:
>
>> It was The Currency Act of 1967 which paved the way for decimalisation 
>> in 1971, and there was a transition period allowing dual use of silver 
>> coins, e.g. 1/- = 5p; 2/- = 10p, with the loss of 2/6 (half-crown) and 
>> the 6d (tanner). It was in 1970 that the 10/- note was withdrawn from 
>> circulation.
>> 
>> More here:
>> 
>> http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/dec.html
>
>As stated there, the 6d remained in use (as 2½p) until 1980, partly at 
>the behest of London Transport. IMO to have vulgar fractions as an 
>integral part of a decimal system was always silly - to have had a 10/- 
>dollar would have been more sensible. But then I was happy with £sd!
>
>Peter Beale
>

Which was the decision made by South Africa, Australia, and New
Zealan... and I guess a few others within their orbits of monetary
influence... as I mentioned before.

Ten bob became one dollar.