319:
local currency, most of those that did not pegged their local currency at a fixed rate to sterling, as did many foreign countries outside the Empire. When
Britain left the gold standard in 1931, many countries that had pegged their currencies to gold pegged their currencies to sterling instead; this group of countries became known as the "sterling bloc", though the term "sterling area" was used officially from at least 1935. When the Second World War broke out, the sterling bloc countries within the British Empire shared a desire to protect the external value of sterling; legislation was therefore passed throughout the Empire formalising the British sterling bloc countries into a single exchange control area. The sterling area was continued in the
869:
1008:
1475:
1487:
1580:
852:
835:
1666:
733:
1417:
1043:
984:
1542:
1400:
930:
1094:
745:
1597:
1500:
822:
1512:
905:
959:
685:
881:
1081:
720:
1163:
1376:
1568:
1149:
161:
781:
918:
1335:
1364:
1621:
1451:
1659:
1298:
692:
1439:
1156:
757:
1463:
1257:
1068:
769:
1645:
1221:
1142:
810:
1707:
1529:
1352:
1233:
1015:
1269:
1652:
1323:
1056:
798:
1991:
1130:
1106:
1022:
947:
893:
1695:
1609:
1209:
628:
25:
1633:
708:
1556:
1388:
1286:
1245:
1196:
1118:
996:
972:
429:
127:
411:. After the end of the Second World War, the Hong Kong dollar was re-pegged to sterling at a fixed rate identical to the pre-war level. Nevertheless, its unique geo-economic position afforded Hong Kong the ability to defy exchange controls by operating a dual system with the sterling area and a free exchange market principally with the US dollar, which was technically illegal from 1949 to 1967. In the
591:
war. France argued that these obligations were potentially a threat to the stability of the pound, and that this could cause turbulence for the whole of the EEC. Agreement on winding down these balances was thus a necessary part of the agreement for
Britain to join the EEC, and removed the main reason for continuing the area.
1971:
613:
The United
Kingdom's efforts to join the EEC, from 1961 until its attainment of EEC membership in 1973, slowly phased out the privileged commercial ties of the rest of the Commonwealth with the United Kingdom. A period after 1973 saw further decline to the special trade links the Commonwealth nations
389:
to the North
American mainland. Canada nevertheless introduced its own exchange controls at the outbreak of war; these were maintained until 1953. Canada's exchange controls were 'sterling area-friendly', in that their purpose was more to prevent capital flight to the US than to prevent flight to the
318:
was the world's most important financial centre. More than 60 per cent of global trade was financed, invoiced, and settled in sterling, and the largest proportion of official reserves, apart from gold, was held in sterling. Although not all the territories of the
British Empire used sterling as their
260:
kinship and trading loyalties were maintained after
Britain's withdrawal from Empire by keeping a sterling peg and staying in the sterling area, rather than maintaining a direct dollar peg. Despite this, sterling did not regain anything like its place in international commerce that it had had before
384:
all responded to the end of the gold standard by pegging their pounds to the pound sterling, Canada and
Newfoundland instead pegged their dollars to the US dollar. So Canada and Newfoundland did not stand to gain by joining an exchange control bloc intended to protect the external value of sterling.
597:
was re-included into the new miniature sterling area on 1 January 1973, and the other sterling area countries responded as they chose – in fact, some of these countries had already taken similar measures throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Following the
British government's decision in
590:
One of the issues covered in the negotiations about the United
Kingdom's entry to the EEC was the problem of "sterling balances", balances held in sterling in London by governments of countries which were members of the sterling area, in many cases the result of debts incurred by Britain during the
609:
After 1972 the sterling area was no longer what it had been, but the United
Kingdom still recognised the existence of the 'overseas sterling area' as a distinct group of countries for the purposes of exchange control policy. In 1979, due to an improving economic situation and changed patterns of
485:
At the end of the war in 1945 the sterling area remained the largest and most coherent currency bloc in the world, and it provided its members with freedom to settle payments in sterling anywhere within the area without exchange controls. Members enjoyed the benefits of stable exchange rates and
294:. This arguably marked the end of the sterling area. During the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s, the remaining sterling balances were wound down to a level that represented the significance of Britain in contemporary world trade.
486:
permanent access to the financial resources of the City of London. Meanwhile, the British government was able to use the pooled reserves of the entire area's membership to back sterling at times when there was a US dollar shortage.
1750:
it was not until 1947, under the aegis of the British Exchange Control Act, that the area acquired some degree of legal formality. In that Act the members of the sterling area are referred to as the "scheduled territories"
562:
was concerned about Britain's close economic ties with the Commonwealth and the sterling area, even though France continued to have special economic relations with its less successful former colonies in the
494:
Towards the end of the 1950s, with the British Empire in decline, political opinion rapidly shifted towards the view that trade with Europe was more important to the future of the United Kingdom than the
261:
the war, and a devastated and financially exhausted Britain could not defend the international value of sterling to maintain confidence in the system, resulting in its devaluation of the
199:
of countries that historically had performed a large amount of their trade in sterling were pegged to sterling instead of to gold. A large number of these countries were part of the
614:
had with the United Kingdom, and ended their privileged access to UK markets. Most members of the sterling area left the bloc to peg their currencies with the United States dollar.
555:
507:
the pound sterling in November 1967 from £1 = $ 2.80 to £1 = $ 2.40. This was not welcomed in many parts of the sterling area, and, unlike in the
584:
2022:
2723:
2738:
2718:
610:
trade between Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth, Britain removed all its exchange controls: the sterling area had effectively ceased to exist.
512:
511:, many sterling area countries did not devalue their currencies at the same time. This was the beginning of the end for the sterling area. The
237:
in the currency area. Member countries with their own currency held a large portion of their foreign currency reserves as sterling balances in
282:
In June 1972, the British government unilaterally applied exchange controls to the other sterling area countries, with the exception of the
265:
against the dollar in 1967 that was not reflected in other sterling area currencies. In the end the US dollar's inability to hold to the
415:, Hong Kong only partially followed Britain in devaluing its currency. In 1972, Hong Kong finally ended the currency peg with sterling.
2049:
2743:
2733:
2387:
1960:
2728:
210:, emergency legislation united the sterling bloc countries and territories (except Hong Kong) of the British Empire in a single
508:
2633:
1810:
1842:
1774:
89:
1479:
61:
2758:
1793:
1923:
1743:
667:
472:
273:: with all major currencies including the pound floating against the US dollar, the sterling area had lost its final
108:
68:
496:
454:
1686:
1665:
598:
June 1972, some countries immediately copied the British government, and others did so over the next few months.
575:(EEC) in 1961 and 1967 were blocked by the French, but eventually, on 1 January 1973, the United Kingdom became a
1491:
320:
2042:
873:
868:
649:
645:
439:
75:
46:
42:
365:
2748:
2537:
548:
57:
2692:
1187:
827:
572:
544:
385:
The absence of Canada and Newfoundland from the sterling area was beneficial to Britain, as it curtailed
2753:
2522:
2256:
2017:
1547:
1026:
1007:
270:
181:
145:
2763:
2365:
2035:
520:
2577:
2567:
1601:
1596:
357:
219:
360:
did not join the sterling area because their dollar currencies had effectively been linked to the
2370:
1893:
638:
450:
275:
257:
35:
2402:
2102:
2027:
885:
880:
540:
1733:
2557:
2308:
1764:
1504:
1499:
1162:
551:, this was to halt a recent increase in capital outflow to other parts of the sterling area.
2612:
2562:
2477:
2261:
2134:
1588:
576:
500:
412:
266:
245:
82:
8:
2572:
2447:
2437:
2432:
1572:
1567:
1339:
1334:
1175:
1148:
1072:
1067:
524:
283:
191:
The area began to appear informally during the early 1930s, after sterling had left the
2643:
2587:
2527:
2507:
2482:
2467:
2127:
1486:
929:
528:
446:
1875:
Uneasy Partners: The conflict between public interests and private profit in Hong Kong
2462:
2442:
2328:
2271:
2154:
1919:
1838:
1824:
1770:
1739:
1516:
1511:
1277:
1047:
1042:
404:
135:
2547:
2452:
2412:
2323:
2313:
2236:
2060:
1830:
1670:
1430:
1426:
1380:
1375:
1368:
1363:
856:
851:
399:
369:
211:
207:
160:
523:
between Britain and other members of the sterling area, with the exception of the
2532:
2492:
2246:
2190:
2107:
1956:
1935:
1474:
1314:
1273:
1268:
1237:
1167:
536:
407:
originally declined to join the sterling area, due to its traditional use of the
348:
303:
291:
234:
226:
2687:
2649:
2607:
2552:
2512:
2472:
2457:
2427:
2417:
2382:
2345:
2301:
2281:
2266:
2241:
2175:
2139:
2112:
2097:
2092:
2087:
2082:
1625:
1620:
1579:
922:
917:
839:
834:
602:
continued operating sterling area exchange controls until as late as 1978, and
408:
386:
315:
311:
307:
262:
200:
185:
140:
1834:
499:
with the Commonwealth nations. This resulted in the UK attempting to join the
2712:
2617:
2602:
2355:
2340:
2335:
2318:
2296:
2276:
2251:
2226:
2170:
1637:
332:
192:
2681:
2597:
2582:
2487:
2422:
2397:
2392:
2360:
2291:
2286:
2200:
2195:
2180:
2149:
2144:
2117:
1996:
1584:
1455:
1450:
1422:
1306:
381:
336:
2592:
2542:
2517:
2502:
2407:
2350:
2231:
2216:
2185:
1682:
1658:
1302:
1297:
1183:
732:
700:
696:
691:
684:
532:
504:
377:
287:
222:
were already linked to the US dollar and did not join the sterling bloc.
1781:
The identified members of the sterling area as 'scheduled territories'.
2670:
2497:
2377:
2122:
1860:
Hong Kong's Money: The History, Logic and Operation of the Currency Peg
1443:
1438:
1179:
1155:
988:
983:
785:
761:
756:
652: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
606:
did not alter its sterling area exchange controls until the year 2001.
324:
1342:(required to withdraw in 1948, following the creation of the state of
1533:
1467:
1462:
1261:
1256:
938:
724:
719:
599:
594:
568:
564:
516:
373:
361:
249:
627:
554:
Opponents of these changes argued that the real reason for them was
457:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
24:
1711:
1706:
1674:
1644:
1528:
1408:
1404:
1399:
1356:
1351:
1232:
1225:
1220:
1171:
1141:
1030:
1014:
814:
809:
773:
768:
328:
214:
area to protect the external value of sterling, among other aims.
196:
2221:
1678:
1651:
1520:
1327:
1322:
1098:
1093:
1060:
1055:
904:
802:
797:
789:
780:
749:
744:
737:
2057:
164:
The Indian Rupee was one of the currencies of the sterling area.
2653:
1699:
1694:
1613:
1608:
1343:
1213:
1208:
1134:
1129:
1110:
1105:
1034:
1021:
951:
946:
934:
897:
892:
860:
843:
603:
580:
559:
353:
238:
230:
215:
2697:
1959:, "Britain and the Middle East:an economic history 1945–1987"
515:
of 1968 were designed to minimise flight from sterling to the
2676:
1632:
1560:
1555:
1392:
1387:
1290:
1285:
1249:
1244:
1200:
1195:
1122:
1117:
1000:
995:
963:
958:
909:
712:
707:
2066:
1310:
1085:
976:
971:
253:
1866:
1928:
503:(the Common Market), formed in 1957. The UK government
2023:
List of the largest trading partners of United Kingdom
1972:"United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine"
571:
zones. The attempts by the United Kingdom to join the
1986:
1877:. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. p. 59.
1862:. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. p. 43.
1829:. London: Macmillan Education UK. pp. 129–130.
617:
1811:
The National Archives: The Cabinet Papers 1915–1981
256:) gave the sterling area a second lease of life as
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
180:) was a group of countries that either adopted or
364:(since 1858). In 1931, Britain and its Dominions
2710:
2005:The New Palgrave Dictionary of Money and Finance
323:in an attempt to preserve the British Empire's
2043:
1888:
1886:
1884:
2724:1972 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
1538:
203:; however, a significant minority were not.
134:It has been suggested that this article be
2050:
2036:
1881:
342:
195:in 1931, with the result that a number of
2739:Currencies of the Commonwealth of Nations
2719:1931 establishments in the United Kingdom
2388:Japanese government-issued Oceanian pound
1872:
668:Learn how and when to remove this message
473:Learn how and when to remove this message
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
1731:
159:
1794:"Sterling Area (Hansard, 18 July 1972)"
16:Currencies linked to the pound sterling
2711:
1894:"Commonwealth Of Nations 1947–Present"
1857:
1822:
1762:
2031:
1826:A History of the British Labour Party
1769:. Cambridge Univ. Press. p. 22.
543:the pound sterling. According to the
1480:British Solomon Islands Protectorate
650:adding citations to reliable sources
621:
556:Britain's impending entry to the EEC
422:
120:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
1738:. Vol. 2. Brill. p. 114.
519:. On 22 June 1972, Britain imposed
269:precipitated the end of the era of
13:
1982:
418:
14:
2775:
1813:(Catalogue Reference CAB 24/256).
618:List of original member countries
2744:Currencies of the United Kingdom
2734:Currencies of the British Empire
1989:
1705:
1693:
1687:Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1664:
1657:
1650:
1643:
1631:
1619:
1607:
1595:
1578:
1566:
1554:
1540:
1527:
1510:
1498:
1485:
1473:
1461:
1449:
1437:
1415:
1398:
1386:
1374:
1362:
1350:
1333:
1321:
1296:
1284:
1267:
1255:
1243:
1231:
1219:
1207:
1194:
1161:
1154:
1147:
1140:
1128:
1116:
1104:
1092:
1079:
1066:
1054:
1041:
1020:
1013:
1006:
994:
982:
970:
957:
945:
928:
916:
903:
891:
879:
867:
850:
833:
820:
808:
796:
779:
767:
755:
743:
731:
718:
706:
690:
683:
626:
427:
244:After the Second World War, the
125:
23:
1964:
1950:
1492:British Somaliland Protectorate
637:needs additional citations for
497:historical preferential trading
248:of fixed exchange rates to the
34:needs additional citations for
2729:British Empire in World War II
1908:
1851:
1816:
1804:
1786:
1756:
1735:Questions of International Law
1725:
874:British Indian Ocean Territory
1:
2627:Historical antecedents (mass)
1718:
1340:British Mandate for Palestine
539:). At the same time, Britain
2538:Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound
583:formally lifted its veto on
393:
7:
2693:Carolingian monetary system
2011:
1188:Saint Christopher and Nevis
828:British Antarctic Territory
573:European Economic Community
545:Chancellor of the Exchequer
453:the claims made and adding
366:abandoned the gold standard
267:Bretton Woods gold standard
151:Proposed since August 2024.
10:
2780:
2523:Prince Edward Island pound
2257:British West African pound
2164:Local alternative currency
2018:List of British currencies
1763:Schenk, Catherine (2010).
1027:Gilbert and Ellice Islands
501:European Communities (E.C)
397:
346:
297:
2759:History of pound sterling
2663:
2626:
2366:Italian East African lira
2209:
2163:
2075:
1916:Edward Heath: A Biography
1835:10.1007/978-1-349-25305-0
1732:Haraszti, György (1981).
489:
2578:South West African pound
2568:Southern Rhodesian pound
1602:Turks and Caicos Islands
233:guided co-ordination of
2371:Italian Somaliland lira
1896:. atlasofbritempire.com
1873:Goodstadt, Leo (2009).
1823:Thorpe, Andrew (1997).
1766:The Decline of Sterling
343:Canada and Newfoundland
310:was the most important
258:Commonwealth of Nations
182:pegged their currencies
2403:Lombardo-Venetian lira
2103:Falkland Islands pound
1918:London: Jonathan Cape
1914:Campbell, John (1993)
886:British Virgin Islands
312:international currency
165:
2558:Solomon Islands pound
2309:French colonial livre
2058:Currency units named
1858:Latter, Tony (2007).
1075:(until 30 March 1979)
398:Further information:
347:Further information:
178:scheduled territories
163:
2613:Western Samoan pound
2563:South Carolina pound
2478:North Carolina pound
2135:South Sudanese pound
1589:United Arab Emirates
1411:) (expelled in 1965)
646:improve this article
577:European Communities
413:1967 sterling crisis
271:fixed exchange rates
246:Bretton Woods system
43:improve this article
2749:Fixed exchange rate
2448:New Hampshire pound
2438:New Brunswick pound
2433:Massachusetts pound
1573:Trinidad and Tobago
1176:Antigua and Barbuda
579:member state after
525:Republic of Ireland
284:Republic of Ireland
2588:Tripolitanian lira
2573:South African pond
2528:Rhode Island pound
2508:Pennsylvania pound
2483:Nova Scotian pound
2468:Newfoundland pound
2128:Saint Helena pound
1203:(expelled in 1971)
529:Crown Dependencies
438:possibly contains
327:status during the
166:
2754:Monetary hegemony
2706:
2705:
2463:New Zealand pound
2443:New Guinean pound
2329:Saint Lucia livre
2272:Connecticut pound
2155:Ukrainian hryvnia
1844:978-0-333-56081-5
1798:api.parliament.uk
1776:978-1-139-48725-2
1517:South West Africa
1278:Sultanate of Oman
1048:British Hong Kong
678:
677:
670:
521:exchange controls
483:
482:
475:
440:original research
158:
157:
153:
119:
118:
111:
93:
2771:
2764:Pound (currency)
2548:Sammarinese lira
2453:New Jersey pound
2413:Luxembourg livre
2324:New France livre
2314:Guadeloupe livre
2237:Australian pound
2052:
2045:
2038:
2029:
2028:
1999:
1994:
1993:
1992:
1976:
1975:
1968:
1962:
1957:Brenchley, Frank
1954:
1948:
1947:
1945:
1943:
1938:. Britannica.com
1932:
1926:
1912:
1906:
1905:
1903:
1901:
1890:
1879:
1878:
1870:
1864:
1863:
1855:
1849:
1848:
1820:
1814:
1808:
1802:
1801:
1790:
1784:
1783:
1760:
1754:
1753:
1729:
1710:
1709:
1698:
1697:
1671:Windward Islands
1669:
1668:
1662:
1661:
1655:
1654:
1648:
1647:
1636:
1635:
1624:
1623:
1612:
1611:
1600:
1599:
1583:
1582:
1571:
1570:
1559:
1558:
1550:
1546:
1544:
1543:
1532:
1531:
1515:
1514:
1503:
1502:
1490:
1489:
1478:
1477:
1466:
1465:
1454:
1453:
1442:
1441:
1431:Tristan da Cunha
1427:Ascension Island
1421:
1419:
1418:
1403:
1402:
1391:
1390:
1381:Pitcairn Islands
1379:
1378:
1369:Papua New Guinea
1367:
1366:
1355:
1354:
1338:
1337:
1326:
1325:
1301:
1300:
1289:
1288:
1272:
1271:
1260:
1259:
1248:
1247:
1236:
1235:
1224:
1223:
1212:
1211:
1199:
1198:
1166:
1165:
1159:
1158:
1152:
1151:
1145:
1144:
1133:
1132:
1121:
1120:
1109:
1108:
1097:
1096:
1084:
1083:
1082:
1071:
1070:
1059:
1058:
1046:
1045:
1025:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1011:
1010:
999:
998:
987:
986:
975:
974:
962:
961:
950:
949:
933:
932:
921:
920:
908:
907:
896:
895:
884:
883:
872:
871:
857:British Honduras
855:
854:
838:
837:
826:
824:
823:
813:
812:
801:
800:
784:
783:
772:
771:
760:
759:
748:
747:
736:
735:
723:
722:
711:
710:
695:
694:
688:
687:
673:
666:
662:
659:
653:
630:
622:
513:Basel agreements
509:1949 devaluation
478:
471:
467:
464:
458:
455:inline citations
431:
430:
423:
400:Hong Kong dollar
370:Great Depression
252:(convertible to
212:exchange control
208:Second World War
149:
129:
128:
121:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
2779:
2778:
2774:
2773:
2772:
2770:
2769:
2768:
2709:
2708:
2707:
2702:
2659:
2644:Moneyer's pound
2622:
2533:Rhodesian pound
2493:Palestine pound
2262:Byzantine litra
2247:Bermudian pound
2205:
2191:Liverpool pound
2159:
2108:Gibraltar pound
2071:
2056:
2014:
1995:
1990:
1988:
1985:
1983:Further reading
1980:
1979:
1970:
1969:
1965:
1955:
1951:
1941:
1939:
1936:"Sterling area"
1934:
1933:
1929:
1913:
1909:
1899:
1897:
1892:
1891:
1882:
1871:
1867:
1856:
1852:
1845:
1821:
1817:
1809:
1805:
1792:
1791:
1787:
1777:
1761:
1757:
1746:
1730:
1726:
1721:
1716:
1704:
1692:
1663:
1656:
1649:
1642:
1630:
1618:
1606:
1594:
1577:
1565:
1553:
1541:
1539:
1526:
1509:
1497:
1484:
1472:
1460:
1448:
1436:
1416:
1414:
1397:
1385:
1373:
1361:
1349:
1332:
1320:
1315:Tokelau Islands
1295:
1283:
1274:Muscat and Oman
1266:
1254:
1242:
1238:Maldive Islands
1230:
1218:
1206:
1193:
1168:Leeward Islands
1160:
1153:
1146:
1139:
1127:
1115:
1103:
1091:
1080:
1078:
1065:
1053:
1040:
1019:
1012:
1005:
993:
981:
969:
956:
944:
927:
915:
902:
890:
878:
866:
849:
832:
821:
819:
807:
795:
778:
766:
754:
742:
730:
717:
705:
689:
682:
674:
663:
657:
654:
643:
631:
620:
537:Channel Islands
492:
479:
468:
462:
459:
444:
432:
428:
421:
419:Member benefits
402:
396:
390:sterling area.
351:
349:Canadian dollar
345:
304:First World War
300:
292:Channel Islands
235:monetary policy
227:Bank of England
154:
130:
126:
115:
104:
98:
95:
58:"Sterling area"
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
2777:
2767:
2766:
2761:
2756:
2751:
2746:
2741:
2736:
2731:
2726:
2721:
2704:
2703:
2701:
2700:
2695:
2690:
2688:Roman currency
2685:
2679:
2674:
2667:
2665:
2661:
2660:
2658:
2657:
2647:
2641:
2630:
2628:
2624:
2623:
2621:
2620:
2615:
2610:
2608:Virginia pound
2605:
2600:
2595:
2590:
2585:
2580:
2575:
2570:
2565:
2560:
2555:
2553:Sardinian lira
2550:
2545:
2540:
2535:
2530:
2525:
2520:
2515:
2513:Peruvian libra
2510:
2505:
2500:
2495:
2490:
2485:
2480:
2475:
2473:Nigerian pound
2470:
2465:
2460:
2458:New York pound
2455:
2450:
2445:
2440:
2435:
2430:
2428:Maryland pound
2425:
2420:
2418:Malawian pound
2415:
2410:
2405:
2400:
2395:
2390:
2385:
2383:Jamaican pound
2380:
2375:
2374:
2373:
2368:
2358:
2353:
2348:
2346:Ghanaian pound
2343:
2338:
2333:
2332:
2331:
2326:
2321:
2316:
2306:
2305:
2304:
2302:Livre tournois
2299:
2289:
2284:
2282:Delaware pound
2279:
2274:
2269:
2267:Canadian pound
2264:
2259:
2254:
2249:
2244:
2242:Bahamian pound
2239:
2234:
2229:
2224:
2219:
2217:Aeginetan mina
2213:
2211:
2207:
2206:
2204:
2203:
2198:
2193:
2188:
2183:
2178:
2173:
2167:
2165:
2161:
2160:
2158:
2157:
2152:
2147:
2142:
2140:Sudanese pound
2137:
2132:
2131:
2130:
2125:
2120:
2115:
2113:Guernsey pound
2110:
2105:
2100:
2098:Alderney pound
2093:Pound sterling
2090:
2088:Lebanese pound
2085:
2083:Egyptian pound
2079:
2077:
2073:
2072:
2055:
2054:
2047:
2040:
2032:
2026:
2025:
2020:
2013:
2010:
2009:
2008:
2001:
2000:
1984:
1981:
1978:
1977:
1963:
1949:
1927:
1907:
1880:
1865:
1850:
1843:
1815:
1803:
1785:
1775:
1755:
1744:
1723:
1722:
1720:
1717:
1715:
1714:
1702:
1690:
1640:
1628:
1626:United Kingdom
1616:
1604:
1592:
1575:
1563:
1551:
1536:
1524:
1507:
1495:
1494:(left in 1964)
1482:
1470:
1458:
1446:
1434:
1412:
1395:
1383:
1371:
1359:
1347:
1330:
1318:
1293:
1281:
1264:
1252:
1240:
1228:
1216:
1204:
1191:
1137:
1125:
1113:
1101:
1089:
1088:(left in 1959)
1076:
1063:
1051:
1038:
1003:
991:
979:
967:
966:(left in 1947)
954:
942:
925:
923:Cayman Islands
913:
912:(left in 1966)
900:
888:
876:
864:
847:
840:British Guiana
830:
817:
805:
793:
776:
764:
752:
740:
728:
715:
703:
679:
676:
675:
634:
632:
625:
619:
616:
549:Anthony Barber
491:
488:
481:
480:
435:
433:
426:
420:
417:
409:Spanish dollar
395:
392:
387:capital flight
344:
341:
316:City of London
308:pound sterling
306:, the British
299:
296:
263:pound sterling
201:British Empire
186:pound sterling
156:
155:
141:Pound sterling
133:
131:
124:
117:
116:
99:September 2023
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2776:
2765:
2762:
2760:
2757:
2755:
2752:
2750:
2747:
2745:
2742:
2740:
2737:
2735:
2732:
2730:
2727:
2725:
2722:
2720:
2717:
2716:
2714:
2699:
2696:
2694:
2691:
2689:
2686:
2683:
2680:
2678:
2675:
2672:
2669:
2668:
2666:
2664:See also
2662:
2655:
2651:
2648:
2645:
2642:
2639:
2635:
2632:
2631:
2629:
2625:
2619:
2618:Zambian pound
2616:
2614:
2611:
2609:
2606:
2604:
2603:Venetian lira
2601:
2599:
2596:
2594:
2591:
2589:
2586:
2584:
2581:
2579:
2576:
2574:
2571:
2569:
2566:
2564:
2561:
2559:
2556:
2554:
2551:
2549:
2546:
2544:
2541:
2539:
2536:
2534:
2531:
2529:
2526:
2524:
2521:
2519:
2516:
2514:
2511:
2509:
2506:
2504:
2501:
2499:
2496:
2494:
2491:
2489:
2486:
2484:
2481:
2479:
2476:
2474:
2471:
2469:
2466:
2464:
2461:
2459:
2456:
2454:
2451:
2449:
2446:
2444:
2441:
2439:
2436:
2434:
2431:
2429:
2426:
2424:
2423:Maltese pound
2421:
2419:
2416:
2414:
2411:
2409:
2406:
2404:
2401:
2399:
2396:
2394:
2391:
2389:
2386:
2384:
2381:
2379:
2376:
2372:
2369:
2367:
2364:
2363:
2362:
2359:
2357:
2354:
2352:
2349:
2347:
2344:
2342:
2341:Georgia pound
2339:
2337:
2336:Gambian pound
2334:
2330:
2327:
2325:
2322:
2320:
2319:Haitian livre
2317:
2315:
2312:
2311:
2310:
2307:
2303:
2300:
2298:
2297:Livre parisis
2295:
2294:
2293:
2290:
2288:
2285:
2283:
2280:
2278:
2277:Cypriot pound
2275:
2273:
2270:
2268:
2265:
2263:
2260:
2258:
2255:
2253:
2252:Biafran pound
2250:
2248:
2245:
2243:
2240:
2238:
2235:
2233:
2230:
2228:
2227:Angevin pound
2225:
2223:
2220:
2218:
2215:
2214:
2212:
2208:
2202:
2199:
2197:
2194:
2192:
2189:
2187:
2184:
2182:
2179:
2177:
2176:Brixton pound
2174:
2172:
2171:Bristol pound
2169:
2168:
2166:
2162:
2156:
2153:
2151:
2148:
2146:
2143:
2141:
2138:
2136:
2133:
2129:
2126:
2124:
2121:
2119:
2116:
2114:
2111:
2109:
2106:
2104:
2101:
2099:
2096:
2095:
2094:
2091:
2089:
2086:
2084:
2081:
2080:
2078:
2074:
2069:
2068:
2063:
2062:
2053:
2048:
2046:
2041:
2039:
2034:
2033:
2030:
2024:
2021:
2019:
2016:
2015:
2006:
2003:
2002:
1998:
1987:
1973:
1967:
1961:
1958:
1953:
1937:
1931:
1925:
1924:0-224-02482-5
1921:
1917:
1911:
1895:
1889:
1887:
1885:
1876:
1869:
1861:
1854:
1846:
1840:
1836:
1832:
1828:
1827:
1819:
1812:
1807:
1799:
1795:
1789:
1782:
1778:
1772:
1768:
1767:
1759:
1752:
1747:
1745:90-286-0830-3
1741:
1737:
1736:
1728:
1724:
1713:
1708:
1703:
1701:
1696:
1691:
1688:
1684:
1680:
1676:
1672:
1667:
1660:
1653:
1646:
1641:
1639:
1638:Western Samoa
1634:
1629:
1627:
1622:
1617:
1615:
1610:
1605:
1603:
1598:
1593:
1590:
1586:
1581:
1576:
1574:
1569:
1564:
1562:
1557:
1552:
1549:
1537:
1535:
1530:
1525:
1522:
1518:
1513:
1508:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1469:
1464:
1459:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1432:
1428:
1424:
1413:
1410:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1382:
1377:
1372:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1345:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1316:
1312:
1308:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1279:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1189:
1185:
1181:
1177:
1173:
1169:
1164:
1157:
1150:
1143:
1138:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1087:
1077:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1036:
1032:
1028:
1023:
1016:
1009:
1004:
1002:
997:
992:
990:
985:
980:
978:
973:
968:
965:
960:
955:
953:
948:
943:
940:
936:
931:
926:
924:
919:
914:
911:
906:
901:
899:
894:
889:
887:
882:
877:
875:
870:
865:
862:
858:
853:
848:
845:
841:
836:
831:
829:
818:
816:
811:
806:
804:
799:
794:
791:
787:
782:
777:
775:
770:
765:
763:
758:
753:
751:
746:
741:
739:
734:
729:
726:
721:
716:
714:
709:
704:
702:
698:
693:
686:
681:
680:
672:
669:
661:
651:
647:
641:
640:
635:This section
633:
629:
624:
623:
615:
611:
607:
605:
601:
596:
592:
588:
586:
585:UK membership
582:
578:
574:
570:
566:
561:
557:
552:
550:
546:
542:
538:
534:
530:
526:
522:
518:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
487:
477:
474:
466:
456:
452:
448:
442:
441:
436:This section
434:
425:
424:
416:
414:
410:
406:
401:
391:
388:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
350:
340:
338:
334:
333:United States
330:
326:
322:
317:
313:
309:
305:
295:
293:
289:
285:
280:
278:
277:
276:raison d'être
272:
268:
264:
259:
255:
251:
247:
242:
240:
236:
232:
228:
223:
221:
217:
213:
209:
206:Early in the
204:
202:
198:
194:
193:gold standard
189:
187:
183:
179:
175:
174:sterling bloc
171:
170:sterling area
162:
152:
147:
143:
142:
137:
132:
123:
122:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
2682:Pound (mass)
2637:
2598:Vatican lira
2583:Tongan pound
2488:Ottoman lira
2398:Libyan pound
2393:Jersey livre
2361:Italian lira
2356:Israeli lira
2292:French livre
2287:Fijian pound
2201:Totnes pound
2196:Stroud pound
2181:Exeter pound
2150:Turkish lira
2145:Syrian pound
2118:Jersey pound
2070:, or similar
2065:
2059:
2004:
1997:Money portal
1966:
1952:
1940:. Retrieved
1930:
1915:
1910:
1898:. Retrieved
1874:
1868:
1859:
1853:
1825:
1818:
1806:
1797:
1788:
1780:
1765:
1758:
1749:
1734:
1727:
1673:(comprising
1585:Trucial Oman
1505:South Africa
1456:Sierra Leone
1423:Saint Helena
1307:Cook Islands
1170:(comprising
1050:(until 1972)
664:
655:
644:Please help
639:verification
636:
612:
608:
593:
589:
553:
493:
484:
469:
460:
437:
403:
382:South Africa
372:. But while
358:Newfoundland
352:
337:Soviet Union
331:between the
301:
281:
274:
243:
224:
220:Newfoundland
205:
190:
177:
173:
169:
167:
150:
139:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
2634:Roman pound
2593:Tuscan lira
2543:Roman pound
2518:Pound Scots
2503:Parman lira
2408:Luccan lira
2186:Lewes pound
2076:Circulating
1683:Saint Lucia
1425:(including
1305:(including
1303:New Zealand
1184:Saint Kitts
701:South Yemen
558:, and that
533:Isle of Man
378:New Zealand
368:during the
321:postwar era
302:Before the
288:Isle of Man
2713:Categories
2671:Pound sign
2498:Papal lira
2378:Jaca pound
2351:Irish punt
2232:Attic mina
2123:Manx pound
1942:10 January
1900:10 January
1719:References
1548:Tanganyika
1444:Seychelles
1180:Montserrat
989:The Gambia
786:Basutoland
762:Bangladesh
727:until 1910
699:and later
463:March 2024
447:improve it
325:superpower
314:, and the
197:currencies
176:, legally
69:newspapers
2646:(England)
1534:Swaziland
1468:Singapore
1262:Mauritius
939:Sri Lanka
725:Australia
658:June 2020
600:Singapore
595:Gibraltar
569:CFP franc
517:US dollar
451:verifying
405:Hong Kong
394:Hong Kong
374:Australia
362:US dollar
250:US dollar
2012:See also
1712:Zanzibar
1675:Dominica
1409:Zimbabwe
1405:Rhodesia
1357:Pakistan
1226:Malaysia
1172:Anguilla
1031:Kiribati
815:Botswana
774:Barbados
535:and the
527:and the
505:devalued
335:and the
329:Cold War
290:and the
2650:Grzywna
2222:AM-Lira
2210:Defunct
1679:Grenada
1521:Namibia
1328:Nigeria
1099:Jamaica
1073:Ireland
1061:Iceland
803:Bermuda
790:Lesotho
750:Bahrain
738:Bahamas
541:floated
445:Please
298:Purpose
184:to the
146:Discuss
83:scholar
2654:Grivna
2007:(1992)
1922:
1841:
1773:
1742:
1700:Zambia
1685:, and
1614:Uganda
1545:
1420:
1344:Israel
1313:, and
1214:Malawi
1182:, and
1135:Kuwait
1111:Jordan
1035:Tuvalu
952:Cyprus
935:Ceylon
898:Brunei
861:Belize
844:Guyana
825:
604:Brunei
581:France
560:France
490:Demise
380:, and
354:Canada
286:, the
239:London
231:London
216:Canada
136:merged
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
2677:Dinar
2638:libra
2061:pound
1561:Tonga
1393:Qatar
1291:Nauru
1250:Malta
1201:Libya
1123:Kenya
1001:Ghana
964:Egypt
910:Burma
713:Sudan
531:(the
138:into
90:JSTOR
76:books
2067:lira
1944:2019
1920:ISBN
1902:2019
1839:ISBN
1771:ISBN
1740:ISBN
1429:and
1311:Niue
1086:Iraq
1033:and
977:Fiji
697:Aden
567:and
356:and
254:gold
225:The
218:and
172:(or
168:The
62:news
2698:£sd
2684:(℔)
2673:(£)
1831:doi
648:by
565:CFA
449:by
339:.
229:in
188:.
144:. (
45:by
2715::
2064:,
1883:^
1837:.
1796:.
1779:.
1748:.
1681:,
1677:,
1309:,
1190:))
1178:,
1174:,
587:.
547:,
376:,
279:.
241:.
2656:)
2652:(
2640:)
2636:(
2051:e
2044:t
2037:v
1974:.
1946:.
1904:.
1847:.
1833::
1800:.
1689:)
1591:)
1587:(
1523:)
1519:(
1433:)
1407:(
1346:)
1317:)
1280:)
1276:(
1186:(
1037:)
1029:(
941:)
937:(
863:)
859:(
846:)
842:(
792:)
788:(
671:)
665:(
660:)
656:(
642:.
476:)
470:(
465:)
461:(
443:.
148:)
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
