Definition:Penny
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Definition
A penny is one of two coins of the Sterling monetary system:
New Penny
| \(\ds \) | \(\) | \(\ds 1\) | new penny | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \frac 1 {100}\) | pound sterling | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \frac 1 5\) | shilling | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac {12} 5 = 2.4\) | (old) pence |
Old Penny
| \(\ds \) | \(\) | \(\ds 1\) | old penny | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \frac 1 {240}\) | pound sterling | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \frac 1 {12}\) | shilling | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 2\) | (old) halfpence | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 4\) | farthings | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac 5 {12}\) | (new) pence |
Linguistic Note
The usual plural of the word penny is pence.
However, the word pennies is sometimes used in rhetorical speech if it is required to emphasise the paltry quantity of the money in question.
Pennies is also used to refer to the specific coins themselves:
- I have five pennies in my pocket
would be taken to mean:
while:
- I have five pence in my pocket
would be taken to mean:
- I have money to the amount of $5 p$ in my pocket.