The British pound

The pound (symbol: £; banking code: GBP) is the official currency of the United Kingdom (UK). It is often simply called the pound, with "pound sterling" used mainly in formal contexts. (The term British pound is also often used when it is necessary to distinguish the unit of currency from others that have the same name). The slang term quid is very common in the UK.

The pound was originally the value of one pound (weight) of sterling silver (hence "pound sterling"). The sign for the pound is the pound sign, orignally ₤ with two cross-bars, then later more commonly £ with a single cross-bar.

Further information about the British pound.