Gone but not forgotten

What were you worth back in the day?

I asked the old penny that was there on display

And offered her one for whatever she thought.

Britannia was there, just on one side

Looked at me sadly and then she replied,

"Here's just a few of the things that I bought.

A book of matches, a bargain to buy

In November one was enough for the guy.

In amusement arcades I could always be found

If you gambled with me in a bandit's slot.

A pile came out when you got the jackpot

There were two hundred and forty to make up the pound.

You looked after your pennies and the pound was okay.

And under their breath your neighbour would say,

"A pretty penny, well that wasn't cheap."

'Need to spend a penny' and everyone knew

Nature was calling and you needed the loo

Much more polite than ' I need a leak'.

You could buy four Blackjacks for only a penny

And if, by chance, you didn't have any

For a farthing you could buy just the one.

The Blackjack eventually changed its name

As nothing ever stays the same

Decimalisation arrived and we were undone."

So finally the penny was abandoned and died

When on to the scene the new pence arrived.

No longer a coin that you could invest

With the ten bob note and threepenny bit

Half crown and shilling, then that was it

Their destiny a display case, laid out to rest.