"p" for "pennies"

[Rachel Adams]

Do native speakers use "p" for "pennies" as well? If 5p is understood as five pence or five pennies is it wrong to write "5 pennies"? Is the "p" in 5p understood as either pence or pennies. In 1p "p" means one penny.

 

[GoesStation]

In the plural it means "pence". You have to write and say six pennies if you're referring to coins.

 

[Rachel Adams]

In the plural it means "pence". You have to write and say six pennies if you're referring to coins.

The "p" refers to pence and penny and if the amount is 1p it is the abbreviation for "penny," but is it also the abbreviation for "pennies"? As in 5 pennies if it's written as 5p, is the "p" understood as "five pence" or "five pennies"?

 

[Piscean]

GS answered that in the post you quoted above your question.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't imagine a scenario in which this would be important but I'll tell you anyway.

If I said to you "I have five pence" (which I would pronounce as "five pee"), all you would know is that the total of all my money was five pence. You wouldn't know what individual coins made up that total. It could be a single five-pence piece, or a two-pence piece and three one-penny pieces, or two two-pence pieces and one one-penny piece, or five one-penny pieces.

If I said "I have five pennies", you would know I had five separate coins.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I can't imagine a scenario in which this would be important but I'll tell you anyway.

If I said to you "I have five pence" (which I would pronounce as "five pee"), all you would know is that the total of all my money was five pence. You wouldn't know what individual coins made up that total. It could be a single five-pence piece, or a two-pence piece and three one-penny pieces, or two two-pence pieces and one one-penny piece, or five one-penny pieces.

If I said "I have five pennies", you would know I had five separate coins.

Are the digits and "pence" always written together? Should it be 10pence or 10 pence? I was wondering why the abbreviation for 1 penny was "d". Why the letter "d"?

 

[emsr2d2]

The word "pence" is always separated from the digits by a space. The abbreviation "p" goes straight after the digit.

10p
10 pence

Pre-decimalisation (1971), a penny was "1d" based on the Latin word "denarius". We don't use that anymore.

 

[Rover_KE]

I was wondering why the abbreviation for 1 penny was "d". Why the letter "d"?

You can forget that, Rachel. We haven't called a penny 1d for 50 years.

 

[Tdol]

The word "pence" is always separated from the digits by a space. The abbreviation "p" goes straight after the digit.

10p
10 pence

Pre-decimalisation (1971), a penny was "1d" based on the Latin word "denarius". We don't use that anymore.

And the l for pound was librae and the s (for shilling) was solidi. I was at primary schoool when the money change to the decimal system. It was a complete success. For a few years after 1971, you'd hear some of the old slang terms used for the old coins, which were still in use for a few years. Nowadays, most young people wouldn't have a clue about the old money.

 

[Rachel Adams]

And the l for pound was librae and the s (for shilling) was solidi. I was at primary schoool when the money change to the decimal system. It was a complete success. For a few years after 1971, you'd hear some of the old slang terms used for the old coins, which were still in use for a few years. Nowadays, most young people wouldn't have a clue about the old money.

Sorry , what is I for pound?

 

[Rachel Adams]

The word "pence" is always separated from the digits by a space. The abbreviation "p" goes straight after the digit.

10p
10 pence

Pre-decimalisation (1971), a penny was "1d" based on the Latin word "denarius". We don't use that anymore.

What does "n" in £n.99 stand for? I found it on the internet.

 

[5jj]

Can you provide a link to the site where you found this?

 

[probus]

Sorry , what is I for pound?

See post #9. Librum (Librae) is Latin for pound.

 

[Tdol]

What does "n" in £n.99 stand for? I found it on the internet.

It probably stands for any number in pounds- most shops charge items in pounds + 99p.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Can you provide a link to the site where you found this?

I saved a screenshot to ask about it later on UE, but I cannot find the actual discussion. Sorry.

 

[emsr2d2]

Tdol is right. They have used a letter to replace any number.