Old prices and household records
Put an amount from a newspaper, catalogue, receipt or family account into the context of today’s general price level.
Example: £100 in 1970What would an old pound amount be worth today?
Enter a year and amount in pounds to estimate its value at 2025 prices. The main result stays in pounds; a recent exchange rate is used only for the optional comparisons below.
Calculator
Price comparisons use annual data through 2025. Only optional currency conversions use a recent exchange rate.
What currency was it in?
Display currency
What would it be worth in each year?
An estimate based on prices in each yearGBP GBP
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—See what an old sterling amount would be worth today.
Enter an old sterling amount to see roughly what it would buy today. For a sum written in pounds, shillings and old pence, first change it into decimal pounds.- 01
Choose the year and sterling amount
Enter the date and amount from a receipt, wage record, advert, family paper or historical account.
- 02
Adjust for UK price change
The calculator compares average UK consumer prices from 1960 onward. For earlier years or more detailed figures, use the Bank of England, ONS and National Archives links below.
- 03
Read the result in context
Read the answer as an estimate based on average consumer prices, then distinguish it from earnings, housing, assets and collectible money.
Four UK questions that need more than one number
Sterling has a long history, but the right comparison depends on the document, denomination and purpose.Past pay and weekly wages
See what an old wage would be worth today without presenting CPI as the actual path of earnings.
Example: £25 a week in 1975Savings and inheritances
See what a past cash sum would be worth today, while keeping investment returns and interest separate.
Example: £1,000 saved in 1980Pounds, shillings and old pence
Change pounds, shillings and old pence into decimal pounds before comparing prices. An old penny is not the same as a modern penny.
Example: £3 10s 6d in 1960UK money field guides
Focused guides to 1970 sterling, pre-decimal money and Victorian wages.1970s INFLATIONWhat is £100 from 1970 worth today?Calculate the amount, then place it in the UK’s uneven 1970s price history.→PRE-DECIMAL MONEYPounds, shillings and penceConvert £sd correctly before comparing the amount with today’s prices.→HISTORICAL WAGESVictorian wages in today’s moneySeparate a price-level comparison from an earnings comparison.→
See all UK guidesOfficial sources behind the comparison
Use these public sources to check the price figures, how old money becomes decimal pounds, and how reliable very old comparisons are.Inflation calculatorBank of England guide to what old sterling amounts equal today, including notes on long-run uncertainty.↗UK consumer-price data over timeONS datasets covering CPIH, CPI and RPI.↗Shillings to pounds converterBank of England conversion for pounds, shillings, old pence and farthings.↗The story of decimalisationRoyal Mint Museum history of Decimal Day on 15 February 1971.↗Currency converter: 1270–2017The National Archives historical comparison based on records and official statistics.↗
What this UK calculation can—and cannot—tell you
Which UK inflation measure does the calculator use?
It compares broad consumer-price changes. UK statistics also include CPIH and RPI, which measure prices differently, so another calculator may give a different answer.
How accurate is a comparison over several centuries?
This calculator does not produce a pre-1960 sterling result. For earlier periods, use the cited specialist sources and treat their long-run comparisons as indicative because goods, housing, household spending and data quality changed substantially.
What is the difference between CPI, CPIH and RPI?
CPI is the government target measure, CPIH adds owner-occupiers’ housing costs, and RPI is a long-standing legacy measure that is not an Accredited Official Statistic. Results can therefore differ.
Can I enter pounds, shillings and old pence directly?
Not as modern decimal pounds. First convert £sd using £1 = 20 shillings and 1 shilling = 12 old pence, then compare the decimal amount with today’s price level.
Does the result show what a house or a wage is worth today?
Not exactly. It only shows how average consumer prices changed. A house price or wage needs figures specifically about homes or earnings.
Why might the result differ from the Bank of England calculator?
One tool may use a full-year average while another uses a particular month. They may also use different historical figures or rounding, so check the dates and source before comparing answers.
Can I use the figure for a contract, claim or court case?
No, not by itself. Legal calculations may require a named index, exact months, interest and contract terms. This site only provides general information.
Is this a historical exchange-rate or coin valuation tool?
No. It compares UK consumer prices over time. It neither recreates an old foreign-exchange rate nor values a physical coin or banknote for collectors.