6044. English Coinage

6044.      English Coinage. English money is reckoned in pounds, shillings, pence and farthings thus symboled and relatively valued.

The farthing, or fourth part of a penny, is always written in the form of the fraction of a penny, one farthing being 1/4 penny, 2 farthings \ penny, etc.. The standard sovereign is made of 22 carats pure gold and 2 carats copper alloy. The coin weighs 123.274 Troy grains; and the standard value of gold is £3, 17, 101/2 $ Troy ounce, or £46, 14, 6 f Troy pound. The half-sovereign, or 10 shilling gold coin is of the same standard, and half the weight and value of the sovereign. The standard shilling is composed of 222 parts pure silver alloyed with 18 parts copper. The coin weighs 87 3/11 Troy grains; and the standard value is £3, 6, 0 *$ pound troy; consequently 66 shillings weigh exactly 1 pound Troy. The crown, or 5 shilling piece, the half-crown, value 2s, 6d, and the six pence, are of the same standard and relative weights.

6045. French Weights and Measures

6045. French Weights and Measures. There are two systems of weights in use in

France; the système usuel, or old Binary-and the more modern Decimal system. The former is still the most used in buying and selling, but the decimal system is already employed for all scientific purposes.

6046. French Binary Weights

6046. French Binary Weights. These are more or less in common use in France, but are gradually being superseded by the decimal system.