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

I have to disagree about crowns being obsolete within the timescale you mentioned. I was working from 1969 to 1976 in London (just off Trafalgar Square) and was paid fortnightly, my bank being Coutts - each payday I received a number of crowns (special request) which I had great fun with whenever I went into an off licence or newsagent. As the coins were legal tender it fascinated me that people often offered to buy whatever number I had at a higher than face-value price, even though I always stated that they were only worth five shillings each.

Decimalisation was a curse on the country for more reasons than one.........

Thanks for the memory jolt; we've had a great nostagia trip here talking about 'real' money.

I must get round to updating this. Thatns for your info. I heard someone on Cash in the Attic saying white fivers were still in use in 1961.

Congrats on making the BBC Homepage, today.
You may wish to see n2g2 post # 40542

Also - Crowns:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/jessicainvestigates/2888778/Payout-puts-holiday-bug-worry-to-rest.html