All Change! The Year We Went Decimal

Welcome to the weird and wonderful story of the decimalisation of British currency in 1971 - the biggest change in UK monetary history - when the ancient system of pounds, shillings and pence was replaced with decimal currency.  

Years in the making, this gargantuan operation involved minting billions of coins, converting millions of machines, and teaching the entire nation how to cope with this colossal conversion.  It sparked the largest public information campaign the country had ever seen, complete with gritty TV dramas, saucy, scantily clad ‘Decimal Dollies’ and a bizarre yet catchy song by Max Bygraves! 

We uncover the inside story of ‘D-Day’, with insights from those who lived through it, including legendary newsreader Angela Rippon, superstar DJ ‘Diddy’ David Hamilton, and the actual model who posed for the iconic Britannia design on the new 50p coin, alongside a treasure trove of rich archive from the time. 

We also take a modern-day family back in time to a fully-stocked pre-decimal shop where they face the challenge of using old money and experience firsthand just how monumental this change really was.