Guinea (British coin) facts for kids
A guinea was a special coin made in the Kingdom of England from 1663 to 1813. People don't use it anymore. The gold for the first guineas came from a place in Africa also called Guinea.
What Was a Guinea Worth?
Even after guineas stopped being made, people still used them for prices. This happened until 1971, when Britain changed to decimal money. A single guinea was worth £1, 1 shilling. This is like £1.05 in today's money.
Why Did People Use Guineas?
A guinea was worth almost the same as a pound. But using guineas for prices made things seem a little cheaper. For example, 39 guineas might sound like "about £39." However, it was actually closer to £41. Before decimal money, guineas were often used for fancy or expensive items. This included things like custom-made suits, special boots, expensive jewelry, and luxury cars.
Images for kids
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Five-guinea coin, James II, Great Britain, 1688
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George III, "Spade" issue, 1795
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King James II, with elephant and castle under the bust, 1686
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George I: Quarter guinea (1718)
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George II (two guinea)
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George III, 1775 guinea
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George III, spade guinea, 1795
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1808 Half guinea – George III
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William and Mary
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George I (quarter guinea)
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George II (two guinea)
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George II
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George II (half guinea)
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George III
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George III, "Spade" issue, 1798
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George III (half guinea)
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George III (half guinea)
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George III (third guinea)
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Commemorative 2013 £2 coin
See also
In Spanish: Guinea (moneda) para niños
