The
shilling (
1/-) was a
coin worth one twentieth of a
pound sterling, or twelve
pence. It was first minted in the reign of
Henry VII as the
testoon, and became known as the shilling sometime in the mid-sixteenth century, circulating until 1990. The word
bob was sometimes used for a monetary value of several shillings, e.g. "ten bob note". Following
decimalisation in 1970 the coin had a value of five new pence. It was made from silver from its introduction in or around 1503 until 1947, and thereafter in
cupronickel.