SENSIBLE MONEY SIR, —Although it is now some years since I
had to teach my wife, an American, how to do English meney sums, my memories of that ex- perience and of her outspoken comments remain sufficiently vivid for me to support any scheme of simplification of our coinage, if only in the interests of Anglo-American amity. But surely the unit which should be decimalised should be the pound sterling, in which case—
too cents = t florin.
to florins = t pound.
Our shilling would thereby become 5o cents, our sixpence 25 cents, and our half-crown (eventually withdrawn) 125 cents. During the period of transition the present threepence, penny, halfpenny and farthing might remain in circulation as 12, 4, 2 and I cent pieces, the change in their value being decreased by only 4 per cent. The farthing would remain as a cent and possibly the halfpenny as 2 cents. The heavy and bulky penny and both types of threepenny pieces would eventually be with- drawn from circulation and two new nickel coins issued, with values of 5 and to cents respectively.—Yours faithfully, W. G. HUMPHREY. The Leys School (Cambridge) at Pit!ochry, Perthshire.
SIR,—
May I, whose days are spent in dealing With £ s. d., express the feeling
That there is something rather funny About a plan to change our money Which emanates from Marie Stopes? Her works on Sex may interest many, But " Let five farthings make a penny " Requires Lord Keynes's commendation Before it makes a good foundation On which to build financial hopes.
Yours faithfully,
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