What's the deal with invalidating coins and currency in Britain? I trust they are replacing it with something similar, or are they eliminating denominations entirely? I can understand when they went decimal (although shilling and 2 shilling coins remained in circulation for more than a decade), but I would think invalidating legal tender harms the currency as an international investment.

I got stuck with pound and two-pound coins and took a loss selling them to collectors. I hesitate to keep any foreign currency for future trips, although I generally keep a supply of Canadian since I live 20 minutes away

I hope David Spragg or other Subjects can offer some local insight