The coinage in

Sherlock Holmes's Era

THE POUND     THE SHILLING      THE PENNY      Return to the Dix Sept Marches

A Shilling for each Holmesian

THE SHILLING

and the silver coinage

The Shilling worth  1/20th of Pound or 12 pence. The Shilling was the current unit, with the Pound and the penny, but some other coins existed, which were multiples or division of the official coins. This prevents to find ones's way easily. The following coins existed :

• The Crown : its value was 5 shillings
• The Double Florin : its value was de 4 shillings
• The Half-Crown : its value was 2 shillings et 6 pence
• The Florin : its value was 2 shillings
• The Shilling
• The Sixpence : its value was 6 pence
• The Groat : its value was 4 pence
• The Threepence : its value was 3 pence
• The Twopence : its value was 2 pence
• The Silver Penny : its value was 1 penny

The Groat, the coin of Twopence and the silver penny were struck only for special occasions.

Victoria with the Jubilee head

(revers : Saint Georges terrassant le dragon)

Coin of On shilling  Struck in 1890

Victoria with the Jubilee head

Coin of a Double Florin (value = 4 shillings)

Victoria  "with thegothic chest"

Coin of .....

   A Shilling for each Holmesian...

The shilling had a high symbolic value in the Holmesian universe. Indeed, the sum of one shilling was the everyday salay paid by Sherlock Holmes to his Baker Street Irregulars, a ragged-kids-band, but very effective assistant-detectives. (The Sign of Four, Chapter VIII, "The Baker Street Irregulars"). 

In homage to this honorable engagement, the Baker Street Irregulars (B.S.I.) the most famous Holmesian society in the world, offer a coin of one shilling to each new member.  

THE POUND     THE SHILLING      THE PENNY      Return to the Dix Sept Marches