Pound Sign
About Pound Sign
£ is called the "Pound Sign," representing the official currency of the United Kingdom.
The Pound Sterling is one of the oldest currencies in the world. The £ symbol originates from the Latin word "libra," representing a unit of weight.
【Historical Origins】The Pound Sterling has a history of over 1,200 years, making it the oldest currency still in use today. The £ symbol derives from the Latin word "libra," meaning "pound" or "scales," related to the ancient practice of weighing precious metals to determine value. The British monetary system once comprised libra (pound), solidus (shilling), and denarius (penny), with the abbreviation LSD originating from this. The ornate script of the £ symbol comes from the decorative evolution of the letter L.
【Modern Status】The Pound Sterling is the fourth most traded currency in the foreign exchange market (after the US Dollar, Euro, and Japanese Yen) and the third-largest reserve currency globally. Today, countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria also use "pound" as their currency name, but with different symbols. Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands use the same £ symbol as the UK.
How to Type Pound Sign
Windows Input
Method 1: Hold Alt, type 163 on the numeric keypad, release Alt
Method 2: Press Shift + 3 (UK keyboard layout)
Method 3: Chinese input method: type yingbang or pound and select £
Mac Input
Method 1: Press Option + 3
Method 2: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Emoji & Symbols panel, search "pound"
Method 3: Press Shift + 3 (UK keyboard layout)
HTML Input
Use entity name or number: £ or £ or £
CSS Input
Use backslash escape in pseudo-elements: content: "\00A3"; or content: "£";
Pound Sign FAQ
What is the difference between the Pound sign £ and the Lira sign ₤?
Both derive from libra, but £ is the British Pound Sterling, while ₤ was the Italian Lira (now discontinued). £ is now also used for the Gibraltar Pound and other currencies.
Should the Pound sign be placed before or after the number?
The Pound sign is typically placed before the number, such as £50, similar to how the Dollar sign $ is used.
How many pence are in a Pound?
Since the UK decimalized its currency in 1971, 1 Pound equals 100 pence. Before that, 1 Pound equaled 20 shillings and 1 shilling equaled 12 pence, meaning 1 Pound equaled 240 pence—a system used for hundreds of years.
Why is the Pound called the "most expensive currency"?
The Pound exchange rate has long been higher than the US Dollar and Euro, typically around 1 Pound to 1.2-1.3 USD. This is mainly due to the stability and historical status of the British economy. However, exchange rate height does not represent economic strength; the Kuwaiti Dinar and Bahraini Dinar also have higher exchange rates than the Pound.