Can someone remind me of the monetary value of what we used to call "quatty"? Also, if anyone remembers singer Veron Bent, what were the names of his songs? I vaguely remember he had at least one hit in days of yore.

I think it maybe three pence.............

Never knew maas Veron had a song.He love singing but I don't know of him recording a song.I know for sure that he was the man who brought the movies to Great Bay back in the days.He use to operate from out of Maas Arthur Ritchie's dancehall.

A "quatty" was a penny and a half penny (known as hapenny, prounounced haypenny). It couldn't buy a lot but it was equal to six farthings! I enjoy reminiscing on "dem good ole days".

The older heads know the 'Christian Quattie' GBB.

A very small silver coin with Queen Victoria's head.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071009/lead/lead6.html

It was 1 1/2d or pennyhapeny.

This was in Missis Queen (Victoria) time.

"....not a quattie worth sell..oh what a night.."

(Blue boy i will be your blue boy)those were the only words i can remember of Verron Bent song i think it was call Blue BOY ,the band name was the Magpies ,hope this help.

I never would have thought quatty was the same as the hapenny since it sounds like halfpenny. Yes Oletimer, I used to eagerly look forward to those movies (no TV's back then). As a small fry, the added thrill was talking our way in for free, or scaling the wall after the movie started! We referred to Maas Arthur as Turitch (combination of first and last names), and the movies we called "shows". I also remember the joy we had watching shows on the side of the Pepsi truck (or was it Coca Cola?) out by the seaside in front of Missa Ford shop.
Thanks for setting me straight on Maas Veron as I've spent some time searching the internet for a song by him. Turey I think Miss Lou sang that song. Thanks everyone, and keep the memories going. As Jerry Butler sang "memories don't leave like people do..."

greatbay bwoy -a quatty is a penny plus a hapenny. Read my post again.

While on the subject of old currency, how many of us remember the following:

2 shillings = 1 florin
2 shillings & sixpence = 1 quarter
20 shillings = 1 pound
21 shillings = 1 guinea

If you remember all these then you are very old!

Oldtimer#1 here are some others
Let us start from a;
farthing the smallest
hapenny= 2 farthing
gill= 3 farthing
penny= 2 hapenny
quatty= 1 1/2penny
tropance= 3 penny
fipance= tropance & quatty or 4 1/2 penny
now you know who is the dinasaur here.

Good job Oldtimer #1. Many thanks.

How about 4 Bits = 1 and six ( 1 Shilling and 6 Pence)
A Tennor was sixpence

To Bowl and Janadian - Those never crossed my mind (and some I didnt even know. eg. fipance) I was really going through the official names that we were taught in school...and yes Bowl, you are the confirmed dinasaur. Good thing though you are much better looking. I saw you a few months ago and it seems you have reversed your age!

Oldtimer #1 and Bowl, you are such amazing people. Just to have remembered the "tables" brought me right back to Teacher McLean and the skillful ways he taught us. I was afraid of the beatings he gave us for not remembering them. Please also note that Missa Chin used to have the shows going at Maas Arthur's as well.

Thanks Bowl, I never knew gill and fipance.

Guess I'm a trainee dinasaur. Can't think of a better trade.

Best wishes.

This thread was very interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing.

Talking 'bout money.

The earliest Jamaican coins seemed to have been small thin copper peices called maravedi's (sp?).

They are usually green from acids in the soil when they are plowed up and are not perfectly round.

I'm not sure if they were minted in Spain or Santo Domingo. Mr Robert Barker, Jamaican researcher, suggests that those counterstamped with an anchor were thus marked for use in Jamaica in the 16th and 17th Canturies.

We used to get Spanish dollars or reales in Kingston downtown long ago. Many were melted to make bangles etc. These were mostly from the 18th Century.

Interestingly, it seemed that the slaves controlled the silver currency at one period. Market gardens, trades, juggling etc.

Gold makes my blood run cold and swells many heads. I've held gold dubloons, big, heavy, lovely and seductive. It was probably because I knew their probable history that my lively imagination ran so.

And, is it "In God We Trust" or "In Gold We Trust"? You know your answer.

I really enjoyed this thread. Keep them coming, as this section was dormant for too long. I am thinking what to write next, as I was a part of this era of transition, from old to present. I really miss the good old days. I wish more of the older folks would share with us more especially ages 50 and upwards. I really enjoy sitting under the moonlight and listening to these moments in time.

I have been stressing this Jamdung Dawta, as this is the only thread it seems to bring back sanity and humour to this website. Looking forward to more posts.

Jamdung Dawta, you hit a nerve right there when you speak of sitting under the moonlight and listening. I recently turned 50 and can recall my granny singing me to bed with these words:

"rock oh rock oh
rock my baby to bed
rock oh rock oh
rock my baby to bed

everybody gone to spring
to hear the little bird sing
me poor one to stay at home
to rock my baby to bed

rock oh rock oh...."

Too bad I can't write music so I could share the tune because it was really melodic. The song reflected life back then because we literally had to "go to spring", like David Spring (Salt Spring Hole), to fetch water before we finally had a running water system. I can only imagine how many similar songs which told the stories of our culture that have been lost to the current generation. Aaah, dem good ole days!

Turey, I know "someone" (you know him too) who had some of those copper coins. We tried in vain to get them appraised, and I believe he finally gave them away. I think the so-called appraisers may have thought they were a hoax, and that we were trying a scam because they looked so crude and unimpressive. Thanks for the lesson Bowl; nice to see my cousin still in good shape upstairs!

As condition is key with coin collectors GBB, our excavated examples are usually not very valuable. They are be more valuable to us as memories of old times.

I have heard that many dream of green lizards guarding treasure and some find what was dreamt.

My old MoBay family had someone that kept dreaming of silver in an old wall. They laughed at her until she persisted and there was a bag of heavy old silver cutlery when part of the wall was removed.

Seems like it is not just some of us in Ja that 'dream' treasure: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090925/world/britain_archaeology_history_gold_3

A farmer in my community some years ago was forking up his little
backyard garden and found a US silver dollar with
the date 1776. I offered him $1000.00 for it. He
refused. So he sent it off to his daughter in the
US only to be told a dollar is a dollar. At that time the J$ was $5.5 to US$1

I think the person who told her that was not an appraiser Bowl, or they were big ginnals. Assuming the date you heard was correct.

Without researching that dollar, it has to be more valuable. Even in poor condition.

Harry Vendreyes Snr, who used to be on Johns Lane in Kingston, was an authority on coins, he passed a while back.

Using google searching can usually give a good idea of a coins current value to collectors.

In foreign, reputable houses like Sotheby's and Christies will always be glad to have a look at items if taken in person. It is unusual to find a valuable and rare coin. It does happen.

The finest grade of a coin is 'Proof', these are specially minted with polished dies and sealed for protection. The lowest grade is 'Poor' unless it is a rare peice, it is only for a starting collector or to fill a gap in a series until a better one comes along.

The hobby of Numismatics teaches history and culture and if wisely done can be an long term investment.

I really enjoy the stories about the old coins we used to use in Ja.Some i remember but I really enjoy Bowl's version.Bowl, I went to school with you but your memories are far more better than mine, and I remember the beatings of our head Teacher Sepron McLean,dont get a sums wrong,m.e.2, I must give him some credit , he was a good teacher, may he find rest.

Getting up in age, arthritis has reared its ugly head. So I started wearing a copper bracelet. My friend doubts it is copper and asked me why I just don't string some copper pennies and wear it as a necklace under my shirt. would love to hear some comments. Also, did anyone mention the "willy" penny?

Turey I am not assuming. I saw it, held in my hand
And to downderoad I have a "willy" penny.
To tb ole girl can you remember how Mclean use to run me out of his class.? when he ask a question and
chose the less brighter ones to answer. my hand in the air but he never call on me so I shout out the answer. He sent me to run around the school 10 times. That was my punishment for my action.

I dont seem to have a Willy penny (I thought I did) but I can boast the following, some of them in multiples -

Farthing - 1934
Penny - King George vi - 1938
Penny - Queen Eliz.ii - 1955
Silver threepence - 1942
Copper threepence - 1960
Shilling - King George vi - 1942

I would love to hear if anyone, other than Bowl with is Willy penny, can better this.

Bowl check the links here. It seems that the US silver dollar was first struck in 1794.

There was a Continental dollar struck in various metals with the 1776 date.

http://www.stacks.com/lotdetail.aspx?lrid=AN00072047

http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/CC-Dollar.intro.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_coin_%28United_States%29

If the one you held was the same as the one illustrated in the Stacks sale, it is worth recovering, if possible.

And Bowl...take a look at the coin in the link below, a Carolus III 8 Reales coin 1776. These were called also dollars (From thalers minted in Bohemia) and were in circulation in Ja into the 19th C.

http://www.collectsource.com/americas.htm

Veron Bent did record Blue Boy and when day is done amongst a few others. He passed away recently

Greatbaybwoy,
See link to Veron Bent's Blue Boy on Youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhd4BSfUhmM

Anyone remember the the Indian gentleman we used to call Coolie Baboo? Is it true that he used to buy goats from several people and all of them would follow behind him as one herd? Did he also perform some kind of exorcism, like in the movie Exorcist?