Decimal £sd adding
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BRITISH OLIVETTI announce a range of adding and accounting machines to meet both the current needs based on £sd and the decimal system due to be introduced in the UK in February 1971.
They incorporate a simple changeover switch from £sd to decimal operation. Even with this dual purpose facility there is only a small increase in price—from £43 to £44 15s —for the Summa Prima 71/20 and from £63 to £65 for the Summa Quanta 71/20.
Electric adding and accounting machines are also included in this Olivetti '71 range and delivery is about four weeks. The keyboards of these machines remain simple even with their dual-currency ability.
The Halsbury Committee on decimalization recognized the need for machines to be used now for £sd, for both £sd and decimals in the official changeover period after 1971 and thereafter solely for the decimal system (i.e. the future f—penny-4 currency). Olivetti now claims that with the introduction of their dual purpose range the Halsbury estimate of £80m for machine conversion will prove excessive.
Made by: British Olivetti Ltd., 30 Berkeley Square, London, WI.