Who Remembers ‘Guineas’?

The farthing - with a dear little bird on it (a wren?) was lovely- but not as glamorous as a guinea!

Pedigree bulls are still auctioned in guineas. As well as racehorses.
Anyone remember lucky money when I attended such auctions the seller would walk round the ring with cash in his had as an incentive to prospective buyers

The farthing! Yes I remember my grandad taking me to the corner shop for sweets and giving me one farthing and one ha'penny.

I still remember the farthing.
Last minted in 1956. Ceased to be legal tender in 1961.

David49 The first LP I ever bought was a Golden Guinea record of 'A Picture of You' by Joe Brown and the Bruvvers.

I used to have a George-the-something gold guinea as a pendant on a chain. But somebody nicked it. 🙁

During the 60s, Pye record company sold pop compilation records called “Golden Guinea” I still have them in a box in the loft.

Can’t remember I presume the cost was £1 & 1/-, seems strange now, so does the rest of the imperial system

Guineas were common before decimalization they ceased to be used very quickly after that, they didnt fit in with the system when calculators and accounting machines were used and caused extra work. By 1980s even the most traditional businesses dropped them.

I remember asking to be paid in guineas when I took on a job, I thought the extra 7shillings would be useful!
I wish I knew what happened to my old Biba dressed, I have a horrible feeling they went in the bin.

RosieandherMaw

argymargy

JudyBloom

Yes I remember Guineas, how our currency has changed since then!

It’s only changed once since then…

Not strictly true.
Apart from decimalisation in 1971 ,the 6d was finally de-monetised in 1980 and the ½p disappeared in 1984. The 20p was introduced in 1982 and the £1 coin made its debut in 1983. The 5p and 10p were re-sized in 1990 and 1992, which meant the demise of the shilling and florins, while the smaller 50p coin entered circulation in 1997.
The Bank of England has been gradually replacing its paper notes with polymer ones over a number of years, and this WOLTS (withdrawal of legal tender status) date marks the end point of that transition. The new polymer £20 notes feature the Romantic artist J.M.W. Turner, and the polymer £50 notes feature the mathematician Alan Turing.
So quite a few changes even post-decimalisation!

Good explanation [RosieandherMaw]. We certainly don't get as much for our money these days and yes, lots of changes.

I didn't know what x posts were either, all these abbreviations its a language own.
Shame Guinea is no more. Young people probably never heard if it like a threepenny piece.

Babs03

I didn’t know what X posts are either. I imagined was to do with X which used to be twitter, I never thought it would mean crossed posts but didn’t like to ask in case everyone else already knew.
So now I know 🧐

This is so true, but not just about ‘crossed posts’.

How many of us think we are the only one who doesn’t ‘get it’, or understand something?

The teacher says, “Does everyone understand?”

No, you don’t but who wants to look a fool and admit it. How many others are thinking the same?

If only we were all a bit braver, and more honest….

Indigo8 - my dad had what would have been thought of as a "posh shop" selling evening wear and brides-mother type outfits. He charged in guineas. I actually loved to see it on the swing-tags as it seemed very glamorous!

By the time the 70s came along he had more "smart daywear" and the guineas dissappeared.

I suppose we could say Snap!! instead.
🤔

It's always used on here, I just assumed everyone would know.

It's used if you say the same thing as someone else but your post appears immediately afterwards.

I worked it out from reading MN.
It's a bit like doing textual criticism.
Quite a puzzle sometimes but it's certainly an education.

I didn’t know what X posts are either. I imagined was to do with X which used to be twitter, I never thought it would mean crossed posts but didn’t like to ask in case everyone else already knew.
So now I know 🧐

I bought a leather jacket for 17 guineas. The shop kept it for me while I paid them a guinea a week for it.

So excited after 17 weeks I could finally wear it!

argymargy

JudyBloom

Yes I remember Guineas, how our currency has changed since then!

It’s only changed once since then…

Not strictly true.
Apart from decimalisation in 1971 ,the 6d was finally de-monetised in 1980 and the ½p disappeared in 1984. The 20p was introduced in 1982 and the £1 coin made its debut in 1983. The 5p and 10p were re-sized in 1990 and 1992, which meant the demise of the shilling and florins, while the smaller 50p coin entered circulation in 1997.
The Bank of England has been gradually replacing its paper notes with polymer ones over a number of years, and this WOLTS (withdrawal of legal tender status) date marks the end point of that transition. The new polymer £20 notes feature the Romantic artist J.M.W. Turner, and the polymer £50 notes feature the mathematician Alan Turing.
So quite a few changes even post-decimalisation!

Visgir1

I know Guineas are used still in Horse Racing, and Horse sales.
I only recent found out, they were originally started as payment for goods particularly Horses, as the odd amount over the pound goes to the Auction House as a fee. Not sure if that still stands?

Stock like store lambs & cattle used to be sold in guineas & my dad would give the extra shilling back to the purchaser " for luck" as I recall. Not exactly sure, but there was a tradition of the seller giving the purchaser some money for luck with the animals, & it was somehow connected to guineas?

JudyBloom

Yes I remember Guineas, how our currency has changed since then!

It’s only changed once since then…

My great aunt used to give me a guinea for Christmas every year.

Consultant surgeons were still issuing bills in guineas when I worked in medical insurance in the late 1980s.

I don't remember clothes priced in guineas, but at our school we received Beer Money once a year from Trustees and the Head Girl got a guinea, it seemed like a huge amount to me. The lowly first years got 2 shillings as I recall!

I remember my father buying various horses in guineas.
It was always the done thing from a sturdy cob to thoroughbred racehorse. I smelt of horse during my formative years, now I smell of old collie dog ! 🥴