Pound Sign
About Pound Sign
£ is called the "Pound Sign", the symbolic representation of the United Kingdom's official currency——the Pound Sterling. The currency code for the Pound Sterling is GBP.
The Pound Sterling is one of the world's oldest currencies. The £ symbol originates from the Latin word 'libra' (pound), representing a unit of weight.
【Historical Trace】The Pound Sterling has over 1,200 years of history, making it the world's oldest currency still in use. The £ symbol derives from the Latin word "libra", meaning "pound" or "scales", related to measuring the value of precious metals by weight in ancient times. The British currency system once comprised libra (pound), solidus (shilling), and denarius (penny), hence the abbreviation LSD. The ornate script of the £ symbol comes from the decorative evolution of the letter L.
【Modern Status】The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the fourth most traded currency in the foreign exchange market (behind USD, EUR, and JPY) and the world's third-largest foreign exchange reserve currency. Several other countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria also use "Pound" as their currency name, but with different symbols. Territories like Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands use the same £ symbol as the UK.
How to Type Pound Sign
Windows Input
Method 1: Hold the Alt key, type 163 on the numeric keypad, release Alt
Method 2: Press Shift + 3 (UK keyboard layout)
Method 3: Use a Chinese input method to type yingbang or pound and select £
Mac Input
Method 1: Press Option + 3
Method 2: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Emoji 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 originate from 'libra', but £ is the British Pound Sterling, and ₤ was the Italian Lira (now discontinued). The £ symbol is also currently used for currencies like the Gibraltar Pound.
Should the Pound symbol be placed before or after the number?
The Pound symbol is usually placed before the number, like £50, same as the usage of the Dollar sign $.
How many pence are there in one Pound Sterling?
After the UK currency was decimalized in 1971, 1 Pound Sterling (GBP) 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 centuries.
Why is the Pound Sterling sometimes called the 'most expensive currency'?
The Pound Sterling's exchange rate is historically higher than the US Dollar and Euro, typically 1 GBP exchanging for about 1.2-1.3 USD. This is mainly due to the UK's economic stability and historical status. However, a higher exchange rate doesn't necessarily represent economic strength; the Kuwaiti Dinar and Bahraini Dinar also have higher rates than the Pound.
What is GBP?
GBP is the international currency code for the Great British Pound, where GB stands for Great Britain, and P stands for Pound. GBP is one of the most actively traded currencies in the forex market and an important global reserve currency.