Peckris 2

Yes. Already minted I believe, unless Theresa May asks for an extension.

According to the official site https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/whatsinthebasketofgoods70yearsofshoppinghistory/2016-07-21 the "basket of goods" to measure inflation has been used for seven decades. It's reviewed regularly and some items taken out and new ones added as fashions change, but it's still the most reliable indicator for CPI inflation. Apparently the measurement dates from January each year, so that doesn't account for March to April. The spreadsheet I've got shows monthly inflation from 1962 to 1973. In every year bar one, the increase from March to April is the biggest; the exception being 1963 where the increase is modest, but then it begins to reduce for the rest of the year. The other possibility is that buyers (private and / or commercial) were using up their budgets and allowances before the new tax year started and that high demand generally results in higher prices. However, I can't see that applying to the sort of everyday items that would be in the 'basket of goods'. So it's a bit of a mystery. Edit: mystery solved! Traditionally the date of the Chancellor's Budget was March, so as duties would get added immediately on things like alcohol, tobacco, and fuel, those would have seen a big increase in inflation for a month.

Interestingly, there's only ever been one 52 halfcrown found. It had been well circulated so it begs the question whether it had started out life as a proof, like the penny? However, there were obviously no plans for any UK pennies after 49 (1961 was the next regular normal mintage) so possibly a VIP proof or, more likely, a striking for the Museum.* It's unlikely there are any records or we'd have known about this penny and wondered where it was hiding. *revised: if it was for the Museum it would still be there.. AND we'd have known about it!

I think the last two images are the best - they show the coin in its natural tone and are a sufficient size. (Probably didn't really need most of the others.) Nice farthing.

This one was 18!

Yet they seem to be "old fogeys" who claim to have been there at the time, but they seem to have very short memories for anything except urban myths! Mind you, they weren't numismatists so they had no special interest in the subject as we did.

Yes - and the biggest jump in 1971 was March to April (nearly 3%) which seems to point the finger squarely at decimalisation. However, when you look at the equivalent figures in 1969, 1970, and 1972, again the biggest jump is March to April, which seems more to point the finger at the end/start of a tax year than anything else.

Got it in one. Plus all the usual "biggest con inflicted on the British public" "some prices doubled overnight" "someone charged 16p for something that was 1/6 before" nonsense!! Amazingly, more than 3/4 of the posts are to that effect. Talk about urban myths.

That actually says 1952 and the post hasn't been edited. Where did 1852 come from?

Sorry to bring coins into this discussion, but... Could this result in the first overdate for very many years?

Here's one of the biggest problems. There are Brexiters who claim that over 80% of voters at the last General Election voted for Brexit as both Conservative and Labour manifestos accepted it and would implement it. That may well be true, but who votes about Europe at a General Election? And how many read a manifesto, especially just one small paragraph about Europe? My MP is a Labour Remainer in a city that voted Remain. There will be many in 2017 who voted for a particular party as they had all their life, but even those that didn't must have voted here for a man who was clearly pro-EU. And repeat that scenario in many constituencies across the land. So the GE result should be wholly disregarded for the Brexit question.

I'm currently in a nostalgia thread on Facebook, where someone posted the introduction of decimal coins in February 1971. Guess what the predominant comments are, that are driving me up the wall trying to show the evidence to disprove?

I advise you NOT to buy more than one of my 'How I Did It' guides, you only need one and there is only one. You may already know this information in which case you should not buy it The price plus postage covers my expenses with a little bit left over This time next year, Rodders...

Always seeing obverse, still can't find reverse...

Not your fault - but what a url !!

Or if M&B Mild, 1/10 ! By the way, I still remember 5p meters in 1980-82, i.e. the immersion heater in our bedsits bathroom.

Yes, good point - I'd forgotten the meter / vending machine factor, which made things a LOT easier for businesses during the changeover. Of course, the 50p presented its own problems in 1969 but at least it wasn't replacing '10 bob note' machines. As for phone boxes, I can't remember what the upgrade was for them - it was 4d pre-decimalisation, so I think they were gradually upgraded to take 2p instead, though I'm not sure what the timescale was : the 2p didn't come into effect until February 71 and the 1d was demonetised in August 71, so I'm guessing the GPO (or perhaps BT already by then?) went round like mad things upgrading phone boxes in those few months.

I wonder if anyone has heard of tinyurl?

That is truly scary.

I think "most" is a loose interpretation of the facts! A few, certainly. Van Dijk is the main man though - and someone would have got him (City? Barcelona?) if we hadn't got there first.

Not so. They put 65m ahead of 17m and that's their duty.

True.

Just hoping we don't draw either Manchester in the quarters.

I understand, but this is all in hindsight. We forget the mammoth task involved in getting the public used to decimalisation after a lifetime with £sd. The whole point - really, the WHOLE POINT! - of having 5p and 10p the same size as shillings and florins was to introduce the first two decimal denominations seamlessly, so people could get used to them side by side with their £sd equivalents. The weight-to-value principle was abandoned in the early 90s, so the only real argument is whether it should have been done before then? "The retention of the pre-decimal coins long after their system's demise gave the impression of a complacent and inefficient Britain" Has the author given a source for this? Speaking for myself, I have never ever heard that argument before.

Lucky you! I'm listening on 5Live Extra!