Making Cents

In 1937 a royal commission recommended Australia adopt decimal currency. It pointed out "modern economies are based on the decimal system" and a process based upon the "division of the pound into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence, is antiquated". The great advantage of converting to a decimal system, it argued, was "money calculations of all kinds would be simplified and shortened, and a great deal of time and trouble would be saved by industry and commerce". Often referred by the newspapers of the day as "Mr Decimal", Davey - who has recently turned 95 - is typical of the senior public servants who worked in Canberra in the 1950s and 1960s. Quiet, unassuming, dedicated to providing non-partisan advice to ministers, they saw themselves as advising the executive government of the day "without fear or favour". On the brink of momentous change: goods in both pound and dollar prices, 1966 (main); a television spot dedicated to educating viewers about decimal conversion (above right). COURTESY NATIONAL ARCHIVES [Neil Davey], aka "Mr Decimal", this week in Canberra, top left, and in 1946, above. The former Treasury officer steered the conversion process. SEAN DAVEY; RESERVE BANK ARCHIVES Newspapers fed the rising public interest. As treasurer in 1963, [Harold Holt] announced the government had accepted the recommendations of the Decimal Currency Committee. Monty Wedd, left, created the Dollar Bill character, used widely to educate the public about the decimal change. Right, matchboxes featuring Dollar Bill. LOUISE KENNERLEY (MATCHBOXES); SUPPLIED;Early designs: the front of the one royal note (top left) reflected the interests of prime minister Robert Menzies, dispensing with pounds but faithful to the monarch. The back (bottom left) included limited references to indigenous culture. Artists George Hamori and Richard Beck submitted the designs above.ILLUSTRATION: Ringing in the change.