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@jelida. Posted September 2, 2011 ?? Dracott, not heard of this reference before David Coin News, April, May and July 2004. Quite interesting and detailed study!

It was a mistake in my view that we did not go entirely metric in the 1970s. Some people would have complained, but everyone would have adjusted to metric in a year or two, and there will be no need for arguments today. Everyone understood that 100p make up a pound very quickly. This was due (at least in part) to the fact that we did not allow the Lsd system to continue alongside the decimal system. I still give my height in feet and inches, and my weight in stones and pounds. I measure my waist and collar in inches because Imperial units are still the norm in such situations. I have simply memorised my weight in stones, and have to use myself as a guide when estimating other people's weight. But do I have an intrinsic feeling as to how much one stone is? Not really. I do however know what a kilogram or gram feels like. I can give an accurate estimation of the length of a meter but not of a foot. I am clueless how long is a yard. The metric system is a much more logical system, and the one to teach to the kids. Those of us aged 50+ have managed to learn to use much harder things like computers, mobile phones, internet, etc. People would have adjusted and coped. However, since we did not completely get rid of the imperial system totally and it has been used alongside metric for so many decades, we might as well let it die a natural death in due time.

Pub tokens LOL

It's really quite simple - my generation was raised on feet and inches and pounds and ounces. We think in those units and can estimate in those units. Don't ask me to describe a person's height and weight in metres and kilograms. I can't do it - full stop. I have to do a mental conversion whenever metric is used. Use the 2 systems in parallel until my generation is dead.

what a hoot ......

We have been essentially metric for many decades now and I can't believe we want to go back to the less intuitive imperial system. 100p to the pound, 1000g to the Kg, 100cm to the meter is just far more logical than 240pence to the pound, 28 grams to the ounce and 12 inches to the foot. Even those in middle age are not comfortable with the imperial system. Youngsters won't have a clue. As Peck has pointed out, we still use a little Imperial occasionally for nostalgic reasons like pints for beers and milk. Let's use the "freedoms" from Brexit to do worthwhile things rather than taking steps backwards in time.

It would be a hell of a boost to our IT industry! Can you imagine the amount of work needed to convert all our old systems to £sd? When I was with IBM in the 1990s we used to joke that that was the way to really create "jobs for life".

Although I don't suppose it's illegal to melt British coins outside of Britain? Though it's hardly economical to transport a few kilos to France.