Hi Christina,
I seem to think that losing one's sixpence was losing one's virginity! That 
was my first impression when first reading the poem.
There's a similar phrase, "keep yer hand on yer halfpenny" which, I'm fairly 
sure, meant prevent heavy petting! I seem to recall some discussion - either 
on Radio 4 many years ago - or when I was a student (many years ago!) - when 
the half-penny phrase was said to be a line from a Music Hall song or some 
Music Hall patter. A kind of Marie Lloyd phrase - or someone similar!
I've only got a contemporary slang dictionary which, however, doesn't 
mention either phrase. It has lots of phrases for half-a-crown (two 
shillings and six pence in old money) but doesn't allude to anything akin to 
what I seem to remember.
It could be I'm half-recalling a very old northern english slang expression. 
I've checked a fairly recent big Oxford English Dictionary and I can't find 
it recording either your use, or my use.
i guess all that can be done is check with people old enough to remember 
using the old sixpence when they were teenagers or older and see how they 
respond. Your local people might have remembered meanings different to 
people north of the A38!
If no-one else thinks it could mean what I think it did mean - and if the 
allusion I picked up from it gets blank expressions - then it's probably OK. 
It could also be that such older people look at you and say, "It means the 
same as losing one's marbles!" then you've got one up on the compilers of 
the dictionaries I've got!
Words and phrases are sometimes like old suitcases, take them from the top 
of the wardrobe and open them up and we find all sorts of things in them! (I 
mean why is a wardrobe still called a wardrobe?)  (No need to answer that!) 
(Chuckle, chuckle...)
If Roger get's to read all of our correspondence he might add his 
two-penn'eth as well. He's a wise word wizard - probably a lot wiser than 
me!
Bob

>From: Christina Fletcher <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: New sub: Father (Bob & Matt)
>Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 11:44:15 EDT
>
>
>Goodness me and stone the crows, I thought losing one's sixpence was the
>same as losing your marbles?  Have I used the wrong phrase?  It  wouldn't 
>be the
>first time lol.  Would it be too indelicate to ask what it  means to you?
>Thanks very much for your comments.  It's particularly useful to  know 
>what's
>working and not working at the moment because my judgement's very  rusty.
>bw
>christina
>