Penny Napoleonic Wars prompted the use of base metals in 1797. Despite the decimalization of currencies in the United States and, later, throughout the British Commonwealth, the name remains in informal use. No penny is currently formally subdivided, although farthings (¼ d.), halfpennies, and half cents have previously been minted and the mill (1/10¢) remains in use as a unit of account in some contexts. "Penny" is first attested in a 1394 Scots text, a variant of Old English ', a development of numerous variations including ', ', and '. The etymology of the term "penny" is uncertain, although cognates are
Quarter (unit) As 231 cubic inches were considered to make up a wine gallon, the measure was about 242¼ L. The ale gallon was 282 cubic inches, meaning the quarter of ale was about 295¾ L. Cardarelli also claims it can vary from 17–30 imperial gallons for liquor. Quarter (unit) The quarter ( "one-fourth") is used as the name of several distinct English units based on ¼ sizes of some base unit. The "quarter of London" mentioned by the Magna Carta as the national standard measure for wine, ale, and grain was ¼ ton or tun. It continued to be used, e.g.,