The pound sterling (symbol: £; ISO code: GBP), commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies (the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence (singular: penny). A number of nations that do not use sterling also have currencies called the "pound".
History
The pound sterling is the world's oldest currency still in use.
The full, official name, pound sterling, (plural: pounds sterling) is used mainly in formal contexts and also when it is necessary to distinguish the United Kingdom currency from other currencies with the same name.
A common slang term is quid, which is singular and plural, except in the common phrase "Quids in!" The etymology of the term is unknown, although it may derive from the Latin 'quid', possibly via the phrase quid pro quo, literally "something for something."
Coins
All the circulating coins have an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse, and various national and regional designs, and the denomination, on the reverse. All current coins carry a Latin inscription whose full form is
ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSOR, meaning "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith".
The circulating coins, excepting the two-pound coin, were redesigned in 2008, keeping the sizes and compositions unchanged, but introducing reverse designs that each depict a part of the Royal Shield of Arms and form the whole shield when they are placed together in the appropriate arrangement. The exception, the 2008 one-pound coin, depicts the entire shield of arms on the reverse.
Frequently used : £0.01, £0.02, £0.05, £0.10, £0.20, £0.50, £1.00, £2.00
Rarely used : £0.25, £5.00
One penny, 1p; £0.01 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Segment of the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Two pence, 2p; £0.02 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Segment of the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Five pence, 5p; £0.05 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Segment of the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Ten pence, 10p; £0.10 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Segment of the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Twenty pence, 20p; £0.20 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Segment of the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Twenty-five pence or crown, 25p; £0.25 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Diana, Princess of Wales and Charles, Prince of Wales
Fifty pence, 50p; £0.50 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Segment of the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
One pound, £1.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Two pound, £2.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = Design by Bruce Rushin
Five pound, £5.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse = No standard reverse design
Banknotes
Frequently used : £5.00, £10.00, £20.00
Rarely used : £50.00
£5.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II, in full view facing left
Reverse = Elizabeth Fry, showing her reading to prisoners in Newgate Prison
£10.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II, in full view facing left
Reverse = Charles Darwin, a hummingbird and HMS Beagle
£20.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II, in full view facing left
Reverse = Adam Smith, with an illustration of 'The division of labour in pin manufacturing'
£50.00 : Obverse = Queen Elizabeth II, in full view facing left
Reverse = Sir John Houblon, with a view of his house in Threadneedle Street
