Prices in England are quoted in pounds (£), which circulate in various paper denominations (most commonly in £5 and £10 amounts). £1 is equal to 20 silver shillings ("s"); each shilling is worth 12 copper or bronze pence ("p") - thus 240 pence per pound. Crowns are silver coins worth 5 shillings (60p), half-crowns are worth 30 pence, silver florins are worth 2 shillings (24p), and sovereigns are gold coins worth 20 shillings; gold guineas (equal to 21 shillings), while no longer in circulation, are often used when pricing upper-class goods. Copper or bronze farthings (1/4 pence, denoted "q"), ha-pence, tuppence, thruppence and sixpence coins are in circulation, as well.

For quick estimates of common goods, 50¢ in ca. 2000 U.S. money is about 1 pence for 1870 prices, or $120 in current money per £1. Think of ha-pence as being modern quarter-dollars, and shillings as being modern $10 bills.

In 1870, a troy ounce of gold is worth £39.25, or $192 of United States money; a troy ounce of silver is worth 60.5 pence, or $1.35. The commercial ratio of gold to silver value this year is 15.57. California this year will produce about $50 million worth of gold, and $10 million of silver. The national debt of the United Kingdom in 1870 is just under £800,000,000 (634 metric tons of gold, or a solid cube 10' 6" on a side).

Examples of currency in circulation in other countries, and their value in British money:

*members of the Latin Monetary Union, with coordinated currency; Switzerland, Belgium, Roumania, Servia are also members. In theory the listed currency of any member is good in another member country.