Royal Mint marks 50th anniversary of Decimal Day: How Britain broke with centuries of monetary tradition as the sixpence, shilling, florin and half crown were replaced by decimal currency in 1971
When Britons woke up on February 15, 1971, £1 was worth 100p and shillings were replaced with 5p coins
Country s currency hadn t seen such a drastic overhaul since pound first introduced in Anglo-Saxon England
The shilling coin introduced by Henry VII in the 1500s and the farthing under Queen Victoria in 1860
The decimal system was formally adopted on February 15 1971 and involved around five years of planning
Fifty years ago, Britain s currency changed. On February 14, 1971 there were 12 pennies to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound. And by the next morning, there were 100 pennies to the pound.