In a message dated 97-10-22 14:31:20 EDT, you write: << Can anyone out there provide any information on when New Yorkers stopped using the British system of pounds, shilling, and pence? In 1797 the state legislature officially endorsed the decimal dollar system established by Congress in the 1792 Coinage Act, but I seem to recall that some people continued to use the British system as late as the 1820s. I have no idea why, however. Ted Burrows Department of History Brooklyn College >> It is my understandng of the period that many different currencies were in use in NYC during the colonial period. Therefore the individual person had to be familar with the various values of Dutch, English, US coins, etc. and trelative exchange rate in order to do business. I believe banks even issued paper currency written on them. Need-to-say some of these were worthless. Considering this as a starting point I think we can asume that the change over to US coinage as the sole currency was gradual. Jim Maguire [log in to unmask]