What was a Shilling?

Sixpences were commonly used coins in the 18th Century. In a time when £1 equalled 20 Shillings and 1 Shilling equalled 12 Pence, the Sixpence was effectively a half Shilling coin.

In the 18th century a minimum salary of £40 a year was required to support a family and to live a comfortable life £100 a year was needed. Average wages for a carpenter were around 3 Shillings a day or £39 a year, renting a house would cost around £10 a year, and a four pound loaf of bread (the standard size!) cost 5 Pence.

With a single Shilling you could buy dinner in a steakhouse - beef, bread and beer plus tip, 1lb of perfumed soap, postage of a one page letter from London to New York, or 1lb of Parmesan cheese.