Plural of guinea; a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings, or a monetary unit equal to one pound and one shilling.
Named after Guinea in West Africa, the source of the gold used to mint these coins in the 17th century. The coin became so famous it remained in use (as a unit of value) until 1971.
Even though the guinea coin hasn't been made since 1930, British auctioneers and horse breeders still price things in guineas today because it sounds more upscale than regular pounds!
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