"Coin of the Realm"
Here is some information about the coins in circulation in England in Sherlock Holmes' day. The three columns on the right show, in decimal form, the relative value of the of the coins.
| Coin | Metal | Pounds | Shillings | Pence |
| Guinea* | Gold | 1.05 | 21.00 | 252.00 |
| Sovereign | Gold | 1.00 | 20.00 | 240.00 |
| Crown | Gold/Silver | 0.25 | 5.00 | 60.00 |
| Florin | Silver | 0.10 | 2.00 | 24.00 |
| Shilling | Silver | 0.05 | 1.00 | 12.00 |
| Six Pence | Silver | 0.50 | 6.00 | |
| Four Pence | Silver | 0.33 | 4.00 | |
| Groat* | Silver | 0.17 | 2.00 | |
| Penny | Bronze | 1.00 | ||
| Half Penny | Bronze | 0.50 | ||
| Farthing* | Bronze | 0.25 |
* These coins were not minted in Sherlock Holmes' day, but some were still in circulation.
In 1860 the penny and the half penny were changed from copper to bronze. Many people still referred to them as being copper.
Some slang terms for money used in the Canon:- "Bob" = shilling
- "Fiver" = five pound note
- "Tuppence" = 2 pence (not necessarily in the form of one coin)
- "Quid" = pound