MONETARY ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2480, 10 May 1909, Page 6

MONETARY ITEMS.

The word Money is from the temple of Juno, Monita, in which money was first coined by the ancients. Pecuniary is from pecus, a flock : flocks and herds of animals being originally equivalent to money or things constituting wealth.

Cash, in commerce, signifies ready money or actual coin paid on the instant, as it is from tiie French word caiasc, a coffer or chest in which money is kept. Pound was never a coin. The term waa originally employed to signify a pound weight of silver ; but afterwards it was employed to mean twenty shillings in tale or by counting, Guinea took its name from the coast of Guinea, in Africa, whence the gold for it was originally brought. At first the piece was current at twenty shillings ; afterwards it was equal to twenty-one shillings and sixpence, and finally settled at twenty-one shillings. '. v - . Shilling and penny are both from SaxOtl words. The penny was first coined in silver.

Groat was a name, given to silver pieces equal to four pennies in value, coined by Edward 111. This word groat is a corruption of grosses, or great pieces, and was given to distinguish this larger coinage from pennies or small coin. Farthing is a corruption of four thing, ot the fourth part of a penny.