Re: Pounds, Shillings, and Pence

"K.H.Ranitzsch" wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Brewer" <david@brewer.to>
> > > >      I would like to publicly  commend Jon and GZG for his
costumer service
> > > >      The only problem I have is when he told me what the final
cost is he
> > > > gave it to me in X Pounds, Y Shillings.  What is a Shilling?
> > >
> > > 1/20 of a pound (sterling) as opposed to a troy ounce, also 1/20
of a pound (avoidupois) IIRC.
> > >
> > > Old style : 1 Pound (l) = 20 shillings (s), 1 shilling = 12
pence(d)
> >
> > 1 Pound Sterling = 20 shillings = 240 pence
> > 1 Troy Pound = 12 ounces = 240 pennyweights
> >
> > Pounds Sterling has been historically associated with silver.
> 
> > FWIW, The word "soldier" derives from solidii. Many old European
> > countries used their own L.s.d currencies. France had a "Livre",
> > Italy still has a "Lire".
> 
> In medieval Germany and Scandinavia, a Mark was half a Pound of
silver.

I'm guessing that's half a lb. avoirdupois rather than troy, so 8
oz.? I'm used to seeing medieval accounts where 1 mark = 2/3 of a
pound sterling, 13s 4d, which would equate to 8 oz. of sterling
silver.

I'm also guessing that the commonality of money around Germany and
Scandinavia was down to the Hanseatic League monopolising the
trade around the Baltic so we can, sort of, turn this around to
the colony discussions... I mean it hardly matters if you allow
colonists to have have lasers, tanks or pop-guns, if you dominate
the space around their planet you force a trade monopoly on them
and extract the profits of their labour (which, in turn, pays for
your fleets). The Hanseatic League (AFAIK) never once fielded an
army, but they still got rich on naval supremacy.

-- 
David Brewer

"It is foolishness and endless trouble to cast a stone at every