Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/7 - Squaring Pocket-Money/Solution

by : $7$

 * Squaring Pocket-Money

Solution
The solution given by :


 * The coins were a half crown, a shilling, a sixpence and a penny ($49$ pence).


 * He spent the penny, and the number of shillings was then $4$.


 * He then spent the shilling, and the number of pence was $36$.


 * And as the half crown equals $60$ halfpence, and the sixpence equals $24$ farthings, their difference is $36$ -- again a square.

One suggestion is that the coins were a groat, two threepenny bits and a sixpence.

However, it may be assumed that the groat is disallowed on account of it not being legal tender at the time of writing this puzzle.