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The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/Upstairs_Drive_5602 on 2026-02-14 23:09:48+00:00.

Original Title: TIL that Britain nearly abolished the pound in 1971. Officials considered replacing £1 (240 old pence) with a new unit worth half a pound (120 old pence), divided into 100 and called the “new pound”, “royal” or “noble". The pound’s reserve-currency status ultimately preserved it.