Who knew that some early English coins had small stars on them, were called 'starlings' and were often measured by weight, hence the term 'Pounds Sterling'? Not me and there's more of the same on every page of this illuminating work. Why the Americans ended up with dollars, the strange ratios of pounds, shillings and pence, the origin of the abbreviation £.s.d -this book reflects our national history through the fortunes of one small coin!
(Clive Yelf - bwl 37 December 2006 ) |
