She was lucky - it was much more complex in 1620 and by the late eighteenth century the coinage system was a complete mess.
When you guys declared independence, the monetary system that you inherited was unusable, so you took the most popular coin of the Americas - the piece of eight, adapted it as your currency and divided it up in a sensible manner. However you inherited a sound system of units of measure, probably the most sound system of the age, and you have stuck with it. That system is now it is showing its age and needs replacing. _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Carleton MacDonald Sent: 07 August 2011 01:57 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:50945] Lucy Ricardo Tries to Understand English Money Today is Lucille Ball's 100th birthday, and The Hallmark Channel is running an "I Love Lucy" marathon all day, which my wife is watching. An episode on right now features Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel on the SS Constitution (American Export Lines) on the way to Europe, where Ricky's band has some performances. They have docked in some unnamed English port (probably Southampton, although in real life American Export Lines mainly operated the New York-Genoa route. Artistic license prevails). Lucy and Ethel want to buy some souvenirs, and Lucy asks Ricky for some money. He gives her a 10-pound note. Lucy asks, "What is a pound, 16 ounces?" Ricky groans and replies that it's $2.80 in US money (it was, then) and that she has $28.00 to spend. Then he explains that a pound is 20 shillings, so each shilling is 14 cents, and that there are 12 pence in a shilling. Lucy's eyes glaze over and she replies, "No wonder the Pilgrims left for America." Carleton
