British Pound (GBP)
What the British Pound is, who issues it, and where it's used, with a live converter preset to GBP.
British Pound (GBP)
- ISO code
- GBP
- Symbol
- £
- Subunit
- 100 pence
- Issued by
- Bank of England
- Exchange rate regime
- Free-floating
Pound sterling is the oldest currency still in continuous use, with roots going back more than 1,200 years to Anglo-Saxon silver pennies. The name comes from a pound weight of silver. Until 1971 a pound was divided into 20 shillings of 12 pence each; decimalization switched it to the current 100 pence.
Banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland are still allowed to issue their own pound banknotes, so you will see several different designs in circulation. They are all worth the same, although shops in England do not always accept the Scottish and Northern Irish notes. The pound is one of the most traded currencies in the world, and "cable" is traders' nickname for the GBP/USD pair, a leftover from when rates were sent over the transatlantic telegraph cable.
Where it's used
- United Kingdom
- Crown dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man issue their own pounds at par)
- Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, and St Helena (local pounds at par)
Convert GBP
| GBP | USD |
|---|---|
| 1 GBP | - |
| 5 GBP | - |
| 10 GBP | - |
| 25 GBP | - |
| 50 GBP | - |
| 100 GBP | - |
| 250 GBP | - |
| 500 GBP | - |
| 1,000 GBP | - |
| 5,000 GBP | - |
| 10,000 GBP | - |
| USD | GBP |
|---|---|
| 1 USD | - |
| 5 USD | - |
| 10 USD | - |
| 25 USD | - |
| 50 USD | - |
| 100 USD | - |
| 250 USD | - |
| 500 USD | - |
| 1,000 USD | - |
| 5,000 USD | - |
| 10,000 USD | - |
Calculated from the same live mid-market rate as the converter above. Your bank or card will usually quote a slightly worse rate plus any fees.