why do i hear fiffy pence peice, but not for other demominations

[rosyherb]

i only ever seem to hear people say fifty pence peice, but not others a 5p, pound coin, etc. Is it me? (play nice) or is there a reason for it?

[mollykins]

People say a pound coin which is easier than one-hundred-pence-coin . . .

[merciasounds]

Oh Molly...haven't you got some revising to do?!!

[stewey]

Sort of along the same line. When something is say .60 of a pound, do you say "60 pence" or "60p". Pronouncing the P as "pea"?

[Jonathan-Joe]

I think Rosy is asking why the 50p coin, but not others, is called a "piece". The silver decimal coins were introduced October 1969, before decimalisation proper in 1971. The 5p and 10p coins directly replaced the shilling and florin coins so were used in the same way. The 50p coin however replaced the 10 shilling note and I guess "piece" was used to mark the difference and this has survived over the years.

[4getmenot]

20 pence piece 5 pence piece....

[sara3]

4get, quite right.

[NOX]

yep 4get, 2 pence piece, 5 pence piece, 10 pence piece- all quite normal.

[Mamyalynne]

Yes I have always called coins pieces.

[jno]

I'm with rosyherb, I almost never hear "a five pence piece" or "a 5p coin", it's just "a 5p". I suspect Jonathan-Joe has the right answer.

[4getmenot]

and once pence piece. I do call them 50p, 20p etc but on occasion have caled them all pieces

[sara3]

if you were to need two 10 pence coins, and had a 20, what would you ask for?

"has anyone got two 10 pence pieces?"

I rest my case. well, I rest 4get's case ;o)

[4getmenot]

never heard 5 p coin or 20p coin, only 1 pound coin

[jno]

"has anyone got two 10p's?"

And while I'm here, could I have two 2getmenots?

[sara3]

lol ;o)

[sara3]

maybe it's a regional thing?

[NOX]

are you from ' the sarf' Jno?

[ELVIS68]

They are all p`s 1p 2p 5p 10p 20p 50p apart from the £1 and £2, they are coins :o)

[NOX]

They're either where I'm from (Belfast) and around here too (Birmingham). You hear 10 p / 10 pence in roughly equal measure.

[jno]

yes, could be a regional thing. I am an immigrant so I tend to make note of what I hear and go along with it.

[sophie_1003]

I would say 'piece' for all of them, would also say 'a...p' for all, depending on what comes to mind first!