Pound Sterling Symbol

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£💷€$¥₤

	HTML	Meaning
£	`£` `£` `U+A3`	Pound Sterling Symbol This is the official symbol for the pound sterling, the official currency of the United Kingdom and some of its territories.
💷	`💷` `U+1F4B7`	Pound Sterling Sign with emoji variation Pound sterling symbol rendered in an emoji style due to the variation selector. May appear more graphic or colorful on certain platforms.
€	`€` `€` `U+20AC`	Euro Sign Represents the euro, used as the official currency of the Eurozone in the European Union.
$	`$` `U+24`	Dollar Sign Represents the dollar, used as the official currency in several countries, most notably the United States.
¥	`¥` `¥` `U+A5`	Yen Symbol Indicates the official currency of Japan and is also used in China to represent the yuan.
₤	`₤` `U+20A4`	Lira Symbol The lira symbol was used to represent the former currency of Italy and other countries. Though it bears similarity to the pound sign, they represent different currencies.

What is the Pound Sterling Symbol?

The pound sterling symbol, represented by £, is the official symbol for the pound sterling, the currency of the United Kingdom and its territories. The pound is commonly referred to simply as "the pound" and is abbreviated as "GBP".

The £ symbol derives from the Latin letter "L", standing for "libra", an ancient Roman unit of weight. The term "pound sterling" refers to a pound of sterling silver, indicating its historical value and weight in silver.

Guidelines for Using the Pound Sterling Symbol in the UK

The Pound Sterling symbol, denoted as £, represents the official currency of the United Kingdom and some of its territories. When referring to amounts, especially in international transactions or communications, clarity is paramount. Always use the currency code "GBP" for further clarity in contexts with multiple currencies, e.g., £1,234.56 (GBP) vs. €1,000.23 (EUR).

Standard Format for Pounds: £1,234.56 This format is standard in the United Kingdom, with the currency symbol preceding the amount, a period as the decimal separator, and commas for thousands separators.
Symbol Placement: Standard: £50
Decimal Separator: Standard: period as decimal (£4.99)
Thousands Separator: Standard in the UK: comma (£1,234.56)
Spacing: Standard: No space between symbol and amount (£50)
Similar Symbols: Do not confuse the pound sterling symbol (£) with the lira symbol (₤) which was used for the Italian currency before the adoption of the euro.
Official Currency Codes: Always use "GBP" for pound sterling and avoid other abbreviations.
Representation of Pence: For amounts less than one pound, values are commonly represented in pence using the "p" symbol, e.g., 75p. Ensure clarity when discussing amounts in pence, especially in contexts that might lead to misunderstandings.

Understanding Pound Sterling and Pence

The UK's currency system consists of both pounds and pence. Their relationship is as follows:

1p = £0.01
100p = £1
£1 = 100p

For amounts less than one pound, it's common to represent values in pence using the "p" symbol, e.g., 75p. When the value is a pound or more, the Pound Sterling symbol, £, is used, e.g., £1.75.

It's crucial to specify whether an amount is in pounds or pence, especially in contexts that could lead to misunderstandings. Always aim for clarity in communications, particularly in financial transactions.

Countries Using the Pound Sterling

The pound sterling is the official currency of the United Kingdom, which includes:

England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland

Some territories of the UK, like the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, have their own local variations of the pound, pegged at par to the pound sterling.

Historical Note on the Pound Sterling

The pound has a rich history and has been in use since the Anglo-Saxon period. Throughout its history, the value, appearance, and even the name of the currency's subdivisions have changed. For instance, before the decimalization in 1971, the pound was divided into 20 shillings, and each shilling was divided into 12 pennies.

How to Type the Pound Sterling Symbol Using Keyboard Shortcuts and Alt Codes

On Windows: Hold down the Alt key and type 0163 on the numeric keypad, then release the Alt key.
On Mac: Press Option + 3.
On many Linux systems: Press Ctrl + Shift + u, then type a3 and press Enter.
For HTML coding: Use the named entity £ or the numeric entity £.

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