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Heh, is there actually anything that doesn't cost a multiple of a cent? -- Ihope127 19:11, 28 August 2005 (UTC)
The article says "In Canada, 2 bits and 4 bits are common expressions used to denote 25 and 50 cents respectively." As a Canadian, I have never heard anyone use this terminology, not even on TV. So that bit of trivia seems to be just plain wrong. It may be regional slang somewhere or other, but it certainly isn't "common." I'll just add a "citation needed" for now. Ψαμαθος 17:20, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
Although the article makes is clear that the term "bit" derives from it being a 1/8 piece of a Spanish milled dollar, I can't help but wonder, given that this equates to 12.5 cents, whether there is any relationship to the Hindi term "beda", used in India to refer to 12.5 paise. -- BenStrauss ( talk) 19:04, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
Disagreement with the original section (sorry, part of it has been deleted): The term "three penny bit" was no doubt a historical British term, but it likely had no relationship whatsoever to the much much older form of Spanish/ Spanish-American reckoning in 1/8ths of a dollar. It is most likely that the term "bit" referred to the small size of the silver three penny coin (it was much smaller than the American dime, at only about 13mm). Literature reflects that before the silver threepenny was discontinued and replaced with a brass coin (about 1937), it was practically an embarassment to spend the old silver threepenny because it meant the spender was essentially broke.
Under the LSD system (prior to 1971) there were 12 pennies to a shilling, 20 shillings to a pound. The silver dollar-sized coin under this system was a heavy silver "crown" of five shillings weight and value (heavier than either the U.S. silver dollar or the Spanish 8 reales and of superior "sterling" 925 fineness as well). In fact, the shilling was the same as a U.S. quarter dollar, more or less. If there was a ever a British "bit" similar to the Spanish coin(s), the sixpence would have been the equivalent; for "two bits", the shilling would have been the equivalent; for four bits, the florin would have been the equivalent.
The relative values of the pound and dollar cited here do not enter into this discussion. Traditionally, before the First World War, the British pound equaled $4.80 in American money and the relationship was based upon the actual gold content of the gold sovereign (one pound) coin. The $2.40 United States Dollar to one British Pound was not officially in effect until after World War II (the late 1940s/ early 1950s following the Bretton Woods Agreement) and only lasted until the currency crisis of 1968. This is far outside the historical period when reckoning in "bits" would have taken place.
I would recommend that this section of the article "Bit (money) be deleted because the usage of "bit" in Britain was a reference to size, not denomination.
____________________________________________- Someone forgot the inclusion of the use of the bit in Equestria... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.67.181.117 ( talk) 21:48, 2 March 2013 (UTC)
Originally added to article page by ip
166.249.131.162 on 21 May 2012.
Moved by
Sarahj2107 (
talk)
13:20, 10 June 2012 (UTC)
That does not make any sense. There is no US coin worth less than one cent, and you cannot have a partial person for anything. Cbsteffen ( talk) 03:28, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
What cost a Buck n a bit when those terms were relative 2601:281:C500:ADC0:24EF:C6AF:2A33:17E2 ( talk) 17:44, 19 March 2022 (UTC)
The article says "The New York Stock Exchange continued to list stock prices in $1/8 until June 24, 1997, at which time it started listing in $1/16. It did not fully implement decimal listing until January 29, 2001." We never referred to anything as bits, it was eighths and teenies. I am confused why this content is in this article. Is my WP:OR incorrect? Jtbobwaysf ( talk) 10:15, 19 January 2024 (UTC)
![]() | This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's
content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects: | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Heh, is there actually anything that doesn't cost a multiple of a cent? -- Ihope127 19:11, 28 August 2005 (UTC)
The article says "In Canada, 2 bits and 4 bits are common expressions used to denote 25 and 50 cents respectively." As a Canadian, I have never heard anyone use this terminology, not even on TV. So that bit of trivia seems to be just plain wrong. It may be regional slang somewhere or other, but it certainly isn't "common." I'll just add a "citation needed" for now. Ψαμαθος 17:20, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
Although the article makes is clear that the term "bit" derives from it being a 1/8 piece of a Spanish milled dollar, I can't help but wonder, given that this equates to 12.5 cents, whether there is any relationship to the Hindi term "beda", used in India to refer to 12.5 paise. -- BenStrauss ( talk) 19:04, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
Disagreement with the original section (sorry, part of it has been deleted): The term "three penny bit" was no doubt a historical British term, but it likely had no relationship whatsoever to the much much older form of Spanish/ Spanish-American reckoning in 1/8ths of a dollar. It is most likely that the term "bit" referred to the small size of the silver three penny coin (it was much smaller than the American dime, at only about 13mm). Literature reflects that before the silver threepenny was discontinued and replaced with a brass coin (about 1937), it was practically an embarassment to spend the old silver threepenny because it meant the spender was essentially broke.
Under the LSD system (prior to 1971) there were 12 pennies to a shilling, 20 shillings to a pound. The silver dollar-sized coin under this system was a heavy silver "crown" of five shillings weight and value (heavier than either the U.S. silver dollar or the Spanish 8 reales and of superior "sterling" 925 fineness as well). In fact, the shilling was the same as a U.S. quarter dollar, more or less. If there was a ever a British "bit" similar to the Spanish coin(s), the sixpence would have been the equivalent; for "two bits", the shilling would have been the equivalent; for four bits, the florin would have been the equivalent.
The relative values of the pound and dollar cited here do not enter into this discussion. Traditionally, before the First World War, the British pound equaled $4.80 in American money and the relationship was based upon the actual gold content of the gold sovereign (one pound) coin. The $2.40 United States Dollar to one British Pound was not officially in effect until after World War II (the late 1940s/ early 1950s following the Bretton Woods Agreement) and only lasted until the currency crisis of 1968. This is far outside the historical period when reckoning in "bits" would have taken place.
I would recommend that this section of the article "Bit (money) be deleted because the usage of "bit" in Britain was a reference to size, not denomination.
____________________________________________- Someone forgot the inclusion of the use of the bit in Equestria... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.67.181.117 ( talk) 21:48, 2 March 2013 (UTC)
Originally added to article page by ip
166.249.131.162 on 21 May 2012.
Moved by
Sarahj2107 (
talk)
13:20, 10 June 2012 (UTC)
That does not make any sense. There is no US coin worth less than one cent, and you cannot have a partial person for anything. Cbsteffen ( talk) 03:28, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
What cost a Buck n a bit when those terms were relative 2601:281:C500:ADC0:24EF:C6AF:2A33:17E2 ( talk) 17:44, 19 March 2022 (UTC)
The article says "The New York Stock Exchange continued to list stock prices in $1/8 until June 24, 1997, at which time it started listing in $1/16. It did not fully implement decimal listing until January 29, 2001." We never referred to anything as bits, it was eighths and teenies. I am confused why this content is in this article. Is my WP:OR incorrect? Jtbobwaysf ( talk) 10:15, 19 January 2024 (UTC)