CashSum

About the British Pound

Sterling is the oldest currency still in continuous use in the world, with roots going back over 1,200 years. Its name comes from the Latin phrase libra pondo, meaning pound weight, a nod to the era when a coin's value really was tied to how much silver it weighed. The Bank of England has issued pound notes since 1694, and for its first century or so, notes were literally handwritten and signed by a cashier for each individual payment.

Four denominations circulate today: £5, £10, £20 and £50, alongside coins from 1p up to £2. Since 2016, every Bank of England note has been printed on polymer rather than paper, a switch that made them harder to counterfeit and far more resistant to a spin in the washing machine. Each note also carries a portrait on the back honoring a notable figure from British history, Winston Churchill on the £5, Jane Austen on the £10, and codebreaker Alan Turing on the £50.

Notes are gradually shifting again as King Charles III's portrait replaces Queen Elizabeth II's on the front of new notes entering circulation, while older Elizabeth II notes remain valid and continue to circulate alongside them. Whichever monarch or historical figure is on the note in your pocket, this counter handles pounds and pence just as quickly as any other currency.