Below is a conversion table to help younger readers compare the pre-decimal "real" money tolls with modern (inflation-prone) decimal monetary values. Note that in
pre-decimal (£ s d) days there were 12 pence (d) to a shilling (s) and 20 shillings to a pound (£). This system of monetary values was at least 1000 years old -
that the penny was expressed in writing with the letter "d" might seem strange but apparently it was short for 'denarius', which was an ancient Roman silver coin as well as
the name for an Olde Englishe (sic) silver penny. In addition to (£ s d) there were also other values too, such as the "guinea", which equated to 21s, or £1 1s.
6d (ie: six old pence) = 2½ pence decimal.
2/6 (ie: two shillings and six old pence or "half-a-crown"*) = 12½ pence decimal.
3d (ie: three old pence) = when in 1971 we changed our money this was valued at 2 pence decimal.
10d (ie: ten old pence) = 4 pence decimal
2½d cannot be converted as such because the old halfpenny (and farthing) had been abolished before decimalisation. The approximate value would be between 1½ new
pence and 2 new pence.
It is perhaps noteworthy that lorries had to pay five times more than cars (5x 6d = 2/6 - which in effect was 30 old pence, although it was never expressed as such).
As a reverse comparison the present-day toll of 50 pence would equate to 10/- (or 10s 0d) in pre-decimal money. (ie: ten shillings).
*The term 'half-a-crown' for 2/6 (12½ pence decimal) was very frequently used in spoken English. In monetary values a 'Crown' was 5/- (25 pence decimal). At one time there were
coins of both these values, however the 2/6 coin did not survive decimalisation. The 5/- (25p) coins still exist but are hardly ever used. Other coin / monetary values with names included the
'Florin' which was valued at 2/- but when it mutated into the 10p coin after decimalisation in 1971 this name more or less died, and the 'Tanner' which was for the 6d coin - which after
decimalisation in 1971 was withdrawn without a replacement decimal coin of equivalent value. As an aside 'Crown' still exists as units of currency in some Scandinavian countries,
and until they were replaced with the Euro the 'Florin' was also used in Holland, where it was also known as the 'Guilder'.
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