In article , peter@pjbeale.net (Peter
Beale) wrote:

> ®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 that the 10/- note was withdrawn from circulation.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!

The Spanish and Portuguese didn't seem to have a problem with 2½ unit
coins until they adopted the Euro. The seemed to positively prefer
coinage going 1, 2½, 5, 10 to our 1, 2, 5, 10.

-- 
Colin Rosenstiel

"Colin Rosenstiel"  wrote in message 
news:memo.20080627150936.5844P@cam002297.rosenstiel.co.uk...

> The Spanish and Portuguese didn't seem to have a problem with 2½ unit
> coins until they adopted the Euro. The seemed to positively prefer
> coinage going 1, 2½, 5, 10 to our 1, 2, 5, 10.

The Dutch had a 2 1/2 guilder coin.