<P> £ sd (occasionally written Lsd) is the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies once common throughout Europe, especially in the British Isles and hence in several countries of the British Empire and subsequently the Commonwealth . The abbreviation originates from the Latin currency denominations librae, solidi, and denarii . In the United Kingdom, which was one of the last to abandon the system, these were referred to as pounds, shillings, and pence (pence being the plural of penny). When spoken it was pronounced "ell - ess - dee", or more commonly "pounds, shillings and pence". </P> <P> This system originated in the classical Roman Empire . It was re-introduced into Western Europe by Charlemagne, and was the standard for many centuries across the continent . In Britain it was King Offa of Mercia who adopted the Frankish silver standard of librae, solidi and denarii in the late 8th century, and the system was used in much of the British Commonwealth until the 1960s and 1970s, with Nigeria being the last to abandon it with the introduction of the naira on 1 January 1973 . </P>

What does d stand for in old currency