A bob was a slang term for a shilling, which was a unit of currency in the United Kingdom before it changed to the pound sterling in 1971. A shilling was also used in other former British colonies, particularly in Australia and New Zealand.
The term “bob” likely derives from the older term “bobstick” which was used for one shilling in the late 17th century. It was also used informally to refer to other small denominations of coins, such as sixpence, threepence and fourpence.
Prices were sometimes written as “3s 6d,” which stands for three shillings and six pence (3 shillings and 6 pennies). That is equivalent to 42 old pence or 18.75 modern pence.
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Why was a shilling called a bob?
The term ‘bob’ is derived from the historic British currency of ‘shilling’, which was a unit of currency in circulation in England until the country switched over to decimal currency in 1971. The term ‘bob’ has been in use since the late 17th century, when coins of a value of one shilling were issued.
The name originates from the fact that these coins had the profile of the monarch, usually the English King ‘Bob’ (a nickname for Robert), on them. Since then, the term ‘bob’ has been used to refer to a shilling, regardless of the coin’s profile, and it has also become a more generic term for ‘money’.
It is still used in modern English, as a slang term for ‘shilling’.
How much is an English bob in US dollars?
Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question as the value of an English bob in US dollars is highly dependent on the current currency exchange rate. The current rate of exchange can be found online, on financial news sites and in banks, in order to determine the exact value of an English bob in US dollars.
Generally speaking, the approximate value of an English bob in US dollars is around $0.13/£1.00, but this exchange rate can change on any given day.
What is the value of a bob?
The value of a bob is dependent on the context in which it is used. Historically, a bob was an English silver coin in circulation from the 16th to 19th century. In modern day slang, a bob is often used to refer to a shilling, which was an English currency unit for a period of time and was equal to 1/20th of a pound sterling.
The shilling (bob) was eventually replaced by the decimal version called the “five pence”, in the United Kingdom. Today it is primarily used as a slang expression – such as “Bob’s your uncle” – with has been adopted into common language.
Thus, its value has no real monetary significance but is more a reference to a happy outcome.
Is a bob the same as a quid?
No, a bob and a quid are not the same. A bob is a British term for an old coin originally worth one shilling. It is now rarely used and considered obsolete. A quid is another British term for a pound (GBP), which is the main currency of the United Kingdom.
The origin of the term ‘quid’ is unknown, but it is thought to derive from the Latin phrase ‘quid pro quo’ meaning ‘something for something’.
How many bobs are in a quid?
A quid is a colloquial term for a British pound, which is the currency in the United Kingdom. A British pound is divisible into 100 pence, and so one quid is equal to 100 pence. Therefore, there are no specific bobs in a quid, since bobs are an old-fashioned form of a British penny and are no longer used since the transition to the metric system in 1971.
In the previous system, a bob was a slang word for a British penny, which is equal to 1/12 of a shilling and 1/240 of a British pound. Therefore, if there were bobs, there would be 120 bobs in a quid.
Is a bob and a quid the same?
No, a bob and a quid are not the same. A bob is an old English slang term used to refer to an English shilling and was first used during the late 1700s. It was used to describe one-twelfth of a pound and was widely used alongside the terms “shillings” and “pennies” to refer to money.
On the other hand, a quid is a British slang term used to describe one pound and has been in use since the 1700s. Although both are slang terms for currency, their specific meaning is dependent on when and where the term is used.
Why is bob slang for shilling?
The origin of the phrase ‘bob’ as slang for shilling is uncertain, but it is believed to have first become popular in the early 1800s. It is thought to either originate from the late-17th century English colloquialism “Bob’s your uncle” or from an English gold coin, the Joachimsthaler, which was known as the ‘bob’.
The coin was originally struck in Germany and was of similar size and composition to a shilling and featured a horse on one side and the word “BOB” on the other. In the late 1700s, it became common for English merchants to accept the coin as a payment option, resulting in “bob” becoming synonymous with shilling.
Over time, this phrase has evolved and is still commonly used today to refer to the English shilling.
