skiv

Skiv was British slang for a sovereign — the gold coin worth one pound sterling that circulated in the UK until the early 20th century. It belongs to the rich tradition of Cockney and underworld slang for currency denominations, where almost every coin had its own rhyming or coded nickname. While you wouldn't use it today except in deliberately retro or historical contexts, it pops up in Victorian-era literature, old crime fiction, and nostalgic references to Britain's pre-decimal monetary culture.