half-a-crown

I take cigar-smoking as an expense of, say, half-a-crown a-day, and pipe-smoking at threepence.

Marcus and Farringdon's pure badger, two shillings—gilt-edged badger half-a-crown.

In Ireland, also, half-a-crown was the sum paid for registry; in England it was a shilling only.

If a fellow had five shillings, he was told he must give four; if he had half-a-crown, he had to give up two shillings.

Says one of the characters, referring to the importunities of a tipsy vagrant, “Give him half-a-crown!”