Fareastdriver,
Your:
"unbelievable how confused the general run-of-the mill British population was".
Some of us are still confused yet
("I'll never get used to this Toytown money !"). And some were not confused at all, but spotted a business opportunity.
The very next day, our little supermarket in Thirsk had priced-up a packet of "Jaffa cakes" (to which I'm extremely partial) from 9d to 9p (hoping no one would notice). 240% mark-up. Nice work if you can get it ! They call it "business acumen". I call it daylight robbery.
"
Certified gold necklace"...Certified by
whom ? (Or am I a suspicious old git ?). The Maria Theresa Thaler is a fascinating story in its own right, but I'm surprised the Hong Kong silversmiths hadn't got in on the act by then and supplied a convincing replacement with slightly less silver in the mix. (I've read that a goodly proportion of the pound coins now in circulation - just ain't pound coins !)....D.
Warmtoast,
I would think your Italian shopkeeper was onto a good thing. I'd wager that the sweeties were not worth the 15-20 lire !
And he was making sure of customer loyalty, too. Good move !...D.
EDIT: Lovely pics ! And 'tis true: if you ran a Ponzi scheme like National Insurance you'd be up at the Old Bailey pronto. About '50, the late Aneuran Bevin put it neatly: "
The secret of the National Insurance Fund is - there ain't no Fund !" (Mr Madoff can explain further, if you can get in touch).
And if you went gaily printing and issuing money with no backing you'd be in the Tower. But if you're the Governor of the Bank of England, it's "Quantitative Easing", you see - so that's all right, then.
Cheers, both. Danny.