On February 15th, 1971, the United Kingdom had a landmark day in its history.

On that day, the country's currency was changed after centuries of stability.

It was a day that was the result of years of planning.

But it wasn't the currency that changed, however.

Rather, it was how the currency was divided.

It was the change that changed.

Learn more about Decimal Day and British currency decimalization on this origin of the US dollar, it was one of the first

currencies in the world to decimalize. A decimalized currency just means that the units below

the base unit would be divided up into subunits on something base 10. This will usually mean smaller coins which are 1 tenth and 1

100th of whatever the base unit is. This was actually not the norm as late as the 18th century.

Russia was actually the first country to establish a quasi-decimalized currency in 1704,

when Peter the Great established the Rubel as being worth 100 Copecks.

Most countries had a collection of odd fractional coins worth an 8th, a 12th, or even 1 240th

of the base unit.

Most countries eventually changed over to a decimalized currency.

It was much easier to count, easier for making prices, and much easier for conversions

if everyone is using the same numeric base. But one of the last countries to

decimalize their currency was the United Kingdom. For centuries, Britain used

what was known as the LSD system, which stands for pounds, shillings, and penny.

And if you're curious how pounds, shillings, and pennies make for an acronym such as

LSD, that's because it actually dates back to Roman times

and the original words were Libraim, Solidus, and Dinarius.

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