The Royal Mint

Part four of the everyday household objects.


Today’s instalment is two one pound coins. The origins of sterling lie in the reign of King Offa of Mercia, who introduced the silver penny. It copied the denarius of the new currency system of Charlemagne's Frankish Empire. As in the Carolingian system, 240 pennies weighed 1 pound (corresponding to Charlemagne's libra), with the shilling corresponding to Charlemagne's solidus and equal to 12d. At the time of the penny's introduction, it weighed 22.5 troy grains of fine silver (30 tower grains; about 1.5 grams), indicating that the Mercian pound weighed 5,400 troy grains (the Mercian pound became the basis of the tower pound, which weighed 5,400 troy grains, equivalent to 7,200 tower grains). At this time, the name sterling had yet to be acquired. The penny swiftly spread throughout the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and became the standard coin of what was to become England.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all! If 2008 was not the best year for you, then I hope that 2009 will be better. if 2008 was the best year you've ever had, then I hope that whatever made it good continues through into 2009.

In countries governed by the Gregorian calendar, the celebration of New Year is celebrated on January 1, the date that is considered the most festive of them.Celebrations on the Bay of Valparaiso, Chile; beginning of the show called "New Year at Sea," the largest in the world stage.

Urban Winter Sunset

The London Eye, looking North East up the River Thames, from Westminster Bridge, London. Taken on the 7th December 2008 at 15:35. Considering the direction of sight and the direction of the sunset, the red tint in the sky looks as if it is emanating from the buildings.