> Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 09:06:36 +0000
> From: Rik Roots <rikroots@...>
> IIRC "pence" is an invented word, introduced at the time of UK
> decimalisation (1968-70), specifically to distinguish between old
> pennies (of which there were 240 to the pound) and new pence (100 to
> the pound). I remember people hating the new word - my mother still
> does - but constant official usage over the past 30 years has made it
> the "accepted" plural of penny, in place of pennies.
Pence were always pence:
http://www.24carat.co.uk/images/1878sixpencerev.jpg
Coins of five and ten new pence were minted from 1968, decimalization
was 1971-02-15. The 'new' was dropped from 1982.
Lars Mathiesen (U of Copenhagen CS Dep) <thorinn@...> (Humour NOT marked)