Nail Sizes?

Why are many nails (larger ones) identified by a 'penny'?


As in: 10-penny nails or 16 penny nails.


Also, does the indetifier letter 'd' mean the same thing?


Thanks for the answers.Nail Sizes?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail





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From Wikipedia:


';It is commonly believed that the origin of the term ';penny'; in relation to nail size is based on the old custom in England of selling nails by the hundred. A hundred nails that sold for six pence were ';six penny'; nails. The larger the nail, the more a hundred nails would cost. Thus the larger nails have a larger number for its penny size. This classification system was still used in England in the 18th century, but is obsolete there.





The penny size is written with a number and the abbreviation d for penny (e.g. - 10d). D is an abbreviation for denarius, a Roman coin similar to a penny; this was the abbreviation for a penny in the UK before decimalisation';
Penny is an old British system of classifying nail sizes. There is a lot of folklore about how it was founded, such as how much 100 nails of that size cost. I don't know if there is a definitive answer.





d is an abbreviation for the Latin ';denarius'; (sp?) a small coin of Roman days.





The way I remember it is 6d is a 2'; nail. Every penny up or down increases or decreases by 1/4'; So an 8d is 2 1/2';





Brads are typically sold by length and wire gauge, such as 16 ga. 1'; or 16ga 3/4';





Pneumatic fasteners are sold likewise because one gun can shoot multiple lengths, they all need to have the same gauge, so you can get, for example, 1'; 18ga, 1.5'; 18ga, 2'; 18ga, 2.5'; 18ga that all fit the same gun. If the gauge was proportional to length (like in the penny system) this would not be possible.

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