h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sorry, but I don't like this entry. I didn't see it in peer review or I would have commented then. It give the impression that white fivers and farthings were in general ciculation up until 1971. I'm not sure of the dates but believe both were long gone by the 1960's. I think the old ha'penny may have gone before decimalization. Fivers were blue in 1971 and didn't change then.

Some dates as to when various coin came and went would have helped.

As for Bob's your uncle, I've no idea where this phrase comes from, but IF it has anything to do with a shilling being called a bob, the connection is not explained.

Perhaps its just me but the whole thing seems a bit disjointed, although there is some good stuff here and I learnt one or two things. So, again I say, I'm sorry but, IMHO this entry could have been so much better.

It was long before peer review and perhaps is an illustration of why peer review started. .I was trying to explain farthings in another thread and other people threw information at me to put together. Farthings and white fivers were still legal tender up to 1971, but not in general use (the old-fashioned sweet shop in our village still does 4 sweets for a penny,even though the currency changed). There is no connection as far as we could find out between Uncle Bob and the money. We didn't know why shillings were called bobs. Roll on the Euro

Well there you go; I've learnt two more things! I had no idea white fivers and farthings were still legal tender as recent as 1971. I didn't know that the peer review was a relatively recent thing either, so perhaps I was a little over critical. (scrub the perhaps)

SK