Dollars and cents.

[Neville Briggs]

For some of us oldies, today should be a well known anniversary. On the 14th of February 1966 Australia changed the currency to decimals, dollars and cents. ( Heather wasn't born then )

I remember it clearly because I was a teller in the Commonwealth Bank in those far off days and my job was to collect the old currency from customers and hand out the correct exchange.
I didn't last long in the bank, I was a hopeless clerk, but they got their right money.

The Government publicised the event with a ditty that used the tune, Ring the Bell Watchman, also known as Click go the Shears.

[Bob Pacey]

In come the dollars and in come the cents
out go the pounds the shillings and the pence.


Nah can't remember that Nev ?

Bob

[Heather]

I have no recollection of that old currency Neville but I have heard old people talking about it and I do remember my grandmother putting sixpence in the plum puddings.

I was a teller with the NAB when the $1 or $2 coin came in - (one of those new coins anyway) and possibly the new polymer notes because I remember having $200 of the old $2 in mint notes thinking it would be worth a FORTUNE one day. Not quite sure where they went or who got my fortune ..

[Vic Jefferies]

Tried to remember how to divide and multiply pounds shillings and pence the other day...mind blowing!
Fifteen pounds seven and six divided by three pounds sixteen shillings and three pence...huh? We used to use up half a page with numbers.
Tried to explain: two happenys (half pennies) made a penny; twelve pennies made a shilling; twenty four pennies a florin (two bob) twenty shillings or two hundred and forty pennies a pound: twenty one shillings a guinea or for every pound a shilling extra made a guinea (e.g one hundred guineas was one hundred pounds plus one hundred shillings.)

Those were the days.

[Bob Pacey]

Still got my lucky penny somewhere.


Bob

[r.magnay]

...yeah, you must be old Neville, I was still in high school when that happened! However, I still say 'earn a quid', and two bob is still...two bob!...

[Bob Pacey]

What What ? I'll give ya two BOB.


Robert

[Heather]

NO, no, no!

[Neville Briggs]

G'day Bob, Heather, Vic and Ross.

In the planning for decimal currency, the Prime Minister Bob Menzies wanted to call the new currency unit the " Royal " ( shades of Sir Phil ) Thank goodness we never got that foolery in place.

I don't know why we just didn't do what England has done, pounds and pence converted to metrics without name change. It's all history now.

[r.magnay]

Yeah that's right Neville, I do recall some discussion about the name of the new currency, I reckon there was a number of options at the time, then when they did decide on dollars and cents, there was a discussion on how it should be written!...should the stop between the dollars and cents be . or - or the full stop but elevated.