One shilling, silver coin, Great Britain, 1871 Size: 24 mm; Weight: 5.48 g; The shilling is a historical coin, and ...

One shilling, silver coin, Great Britain, 1871 Size: 24 mm; Weight: 5.48 g; The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and other British Commonwealth countries. The common currency created in 1707 by Article 16 of the Articles of Union continued in use until decimalization in 1971. In the traditional pounds, shillings and pence system, there were 20 shillings per pound and 12 pence per shilling or half or a florin, and thus there were 240 pence in a pound. Three coins denominated in multiple shillings were also in circulation at this time. They were: • the florin, two shillings (2/–), which adopted the value of 10 new pence (10p) at decimalization; • the half-crown, two shillings and sixpence (2/6) or one-eighth of a pound, which was abolished at decimalization (otherwise it would have had the value of 121⁄2p); • the crown (five shillings), the highest denominated non-bullion UK coin in circulation at decimalization (in practice, crowns were commemorative coins not used in everyday transactions).