Pound sterling (GBP), equal to 100 pence. Banknotes in circulation include 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1 pounds and coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pence and 1 pound. Often in everyday life, especially in the provinces, the names of old British coins are used - “guinea”, “shilling”, “penny”, etc., but the real payment system still remains the pound. Since January 1, 2002, despite the introduction of the euro in the EU countries, the UK has retained its national currency.
The monetary unit of Scotland is the pound, equal to 100 pence. Scottish banks have historically had the right to print their own money, which in the UK officially has the same value as English money, although it is not a convertible currency. UK banks can exchange them at their own discretion and rate, and Scottish banknotes are not circulated outside the country. Banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 pounds of the original design.
The island of Guernsey has its own currency - the Alderney pound (Guernsey pound, GBP), equal to 100 pence. Its exchange rate is also pegged to the pound sterling. There are banknotes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 pounds, as well as coins of 1 and 2 pounds, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 pence in original designs. Guernsey currency is not officially used in the UK and is used mostly only in the Channel Islands, although it is exchanged in many British banks.
Banking and currency exchange
Banks are open from 9.00 to 15.30 without breaks on weekdays, large banks also open on Saturday.
You can change money at any bank branch (commission 0.5-1%), in evening time- in exchange offices of large department stores and in some travel agencies. At airports, exchange offices operate 24 hours a day. A passport is required to exchange cash.
Credit cards and traveler's checks from the world's leading payment systems are widely used. Automated teller machines (ATMs) are very widespread, but the unreliability of street ATMs has already become a proverb - cases of erroneous blocking of credit cards are quite common, and the operation of unblocking an account is quite lengthy, so it is recommended to use ATMs in institutions.
Tips
Tips are 10-15% of the bill (unless a service charge is already included). It is customary to leave small coins in hotel bars and cafes. It is not necessary to tip a taxi driver, but it is usually considered “good form” to leave up to 10% of the meter. For a hotel maid - 10-20 pounds per week, for a porter - 50-75 pence (in a prestigious hotel - from 1 pound per suitcase). In pubs they don't give tips.Prices
The UK is one of those countries where travel needs to be planned in advance and carefully to avoid high costs, since this country is not cheap. The rule always works - the earlier you buy a ticket (or book a hotel), the cheaper it is. For example, train travel from London to Edinburgh can cost £20 if purchased a month in advance, rising to £80 if purchased on the day of departure. The situation is similar with hotels, when when booking a room 2-3 months before the trip, accommodation in central London can cost from 50 pounds, while the regular price exceeds 100 pounds.
The UK has very expensive restaurants, but if you eat away from the tourist centers of cities, for example in Chinatown (which are found in London, Liverpool, Manchester and other cities), then the cost of food will be minimal. Also, small emigrant cafes serving Polish cuisine are very cheap, where you can have a hearty lunch for no more than 7-10 pounds.
Mrmineika | 2016
Entered circulation in the UK on 14 September 2017. As her " little brother” – – the bill is made of polymer plastic, but it is decorated with a completely different face. What are its security features and what to do with old banknotes? (Portal “Switzerland Business”)
On September 14, 2017, another representative of the latest series of banknotes entered mass circulation in the UK - a 10-pound note.
Size and composition
The new £10 is a whopping 15 percent smaller than its paper predecessor.
The banknote is made of polymer plastic, which, according to the Bank of England, will last 2.5 times longer. Unlike ordinary paper, plastic banknotes are more resistant to moisture and dirt, and the high density of the material makes banknotes resistant to minor damage.
The Bank of England hopes that one such bill can last about 5 years and, at the same time, maintain a decent appearance.
Design
The brand new £10 features a portrait of the world famous English writer. Jane Austen. By the way, on July 18, 2017, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of her death. And it was on this day that the Bank of England first presented the appearance of the monetary unit.
Photo: Bank of England However, why Jane Austen? The head of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, explained that the writer’s novels carry an incredible urge, which still remains as strong as when her books were first published.
Under the portrait of Miss Austen there is a quote from her famous novel “Pride and Prejudice”, which belongs to a character named Miss Bingley: “I declare that I know no better pleasure than reading!”
It is curious that these lines have already become a reason for the indignation of many British people. “Pride and Prejudice” is one of the most ironic works of the writer. According to the story, Miss Bingley said these words insincerely in order to impress.
Fans of Jane Austen's work are sure that the writer would be surprised by such an inappropriate choice.
The consolation is that some things remain unchanged: on the front side of the banknote, according to custom, there is a portrait of the Queen of Great Britain - Elizabeth II.
Photo: Bank of England Security elements
The 10 pound note was rich in protective elements. On the front side of the banknote there is translucent window with a portrait of Elizabeth II framed by two inscriptions “10 £ Bank of England”.
Located nearby golden hologram Winchester Cathedral, which is silver on the reverse side of the note. By the way, the cathedral marks the burial place of Jane Austen.
When the bill is tilted, the adjacent feather changes its color from purple to orange. In its turn, hologram with the word “ten” (Ten) from a different angle changes to the word “pounds” (Pounds).
On the top of the front side of the banknote there is royal crown hologram, having three-dimensional effect. In the same place, but already on back side banknotes, there is a hologram in the shape of an open book with the initials of the writer “J A”.
Also, the banknote is protected ultraviolet element. If you look at the front side under ultraviolet light, you can see the number 10 at the top, painted in bright red and green.
Convenience for people with disabilities
The new £10 note is the first UK banknote to have tactile markings. On the front side of the bill in the upper left corner there are special tactile elements that allow visually impaired and blind people to determine the denomination by touch.
Where can I get new banknotes and what to do with old banknotes?
On this moment The Bank of England has printed over 1 billion banknotes. The total face value of banknotes issued amounts to more than 8 billion pounds. Accordingly, about 800 million units were released into mass circulation.
Anyone can get a brand new plastic banknote in their hands at more than 70 thousand ATMs and in all banks in the UK.
Old 10 pound notes can be exchanged for new analogues until spring 2018.
The next update of British banknotes will be in 2020
The release of the next representative of the series of plastic banknotes – £20– planned for 2020. At the moment it is known that the bill will also be made of polymer plastic, and will be decorated with a portrait of the British painter William Turner.
Like the brand new £10 note, the £20 note will also have tactile elements which allow the denomination to be determined by touch. However, the £5 note does not have this advantage.
Update of a series of banknotes of European currencies
The Bank of England is not alone in updating British pound notes. The Switzerland Business portal reviews the releases of new series of banknotes of the most popular European currencies. Currently out in circulation.
I once had an embarrassment with English pounds. One day, while passing by a bank branch, I noticed a favorable exchange rate. I decided to buy, diluting my dollar “currency reserve” with pounds. They gave me nice £50 notes. I put them in a distant cabinet and forgot. Meanwhile, the Bank of England, take and withdraw from circulation the 1994 50-pound banknotes, which are exactly what I had.
With great grief we managed to exchange them for new ones, but at a great loss.
Name of currency in England
Pounds sterling are the most beautiful money I have ever seen. The taste of the British, no matter what area you take, is all right. The pound sterling is the official means of payment in the following countries:
- Wales.
- Scotland.
- England.
- Northern Ireland.
Despite the fact that Great Britain has been part of the European Union since 1973 and until now (despite the referendum on leaving the EU), it has never been part of the eurozone and has always had only its own currency - the pound. The euro is not a legal means of payment in England.
By the way, before World War II, the British pound was the main reserve currency in the world, not the American dollar. In the 30s, the pound had the slang name “cable”, since all transactions on the exchanges at that time were carried out, firstly, in pounds, and secondly, the telegraph was the means of communication.
After World War II, when the British entered a severe economic crisis, the pound lost its status as the main world currency. Since then the main world currency- U.S. dollar. It is interesting that the Americans, unlike the British, never took old banknotes out of circulation. The 1899 one dollar bill is still a full-fledged legal currency.
The pound is also interesting because on the banknotes of the British monarchs only Elizabeth II could be seen, and then on the 50-pound banknotes that had already been withdrawn from circulation. Now all paper English pounds of all denominations depict famous cultural or historical figures England.
The pound sterling, or, as it is also called, the British pound, is the official currency in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is also used in several British Isles. These include St. Helena, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and others. This article will introduce readers to information about what currency is in Great Britain, its history, appearance and other features.
General information about the British currency
One pound sterling includes one hundred pence. It would be appropriate to say that in the singular this small change is called a penny. In the international financial system, the UK currency has the ISO 4217 code and the designation GBP. In addition, the abbreviation UKL (United Kingdom Libra) is often used.
An interesting fact is that there are several versions about the origin of the British pound sterling and its name. Scientists identify the following hypotheses. According to one version, this name appeared in the 12th century and literally meant “a pound of pure silver.” This hypothesis seems quite plausible, given the fact that “sterling” in the old days was the name for a silver English coin.
According to the following version, the name “sterling” began to be used in 1300 and comes from the name of a silver coin used by the Normans. Stars were marked on it, which, in turn, corresponded to the word steorling in Old English.
The third and most popular version of the origin of the name of the British pound was voiced by Walter Pinchebeck. He claimed that in the old days the name Easterling Silver was used, which translated means “silver from the eastern lands.” At that time, in Northern Germany, coins were minted from 925 silver. This metal was known everywhere for its excellent quality and hardness. Therefore, in 1158, the English monarch Henry II Plantagenet decided to use silver of this standard as the standard metal for the minting of British coins. Later the classic name was shortened to Sterling Silver. It would be appropriate to say that modern residents of England most often use the short name of the monetary unit - “pound”.
It should be noted that the UK currency, the pound sterling, is one of the main reserve monetary units in many countries of the world.
British pound issue
In addition to the Bank of England, five other financial institutions have the right to issue new banknotes and coins of British banknotes. These include the Bank of Scotland, three banks in Northern Ireland, and a bank in Jersey. Each of these organizations prints banknotes with its own characteristics. This interesting detail should be paid attention to by those people who are planning to purchase the British pound for the first time. You can easily find yourself in a situation where, instead of the freely convertible English pound, a person becomes the owner of a non-convertible Scottish pound.
UK currency printed in Northern Ireland can only be exchanged within the United Kingdom. The rarest are the banknotes from the Island of Jersey. At the same time, it should be noted that in the British Isles, some scammers engage in such type of deception as the sale of non-convertible pounds sterling. It is advisable to ask in advance what the different UK currencies look like. A photo of the Northern Irish pound is presented below.
British pound banknotes and coins
Currently in circulation are paper pound notes in denominations of five, ten, twenty and fifty. Small denomination banknotes have been replaced by corresponding coins. On the obverse of the banknotes there is an image of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. On the back of the banknotes you can find images of famous scientists, writers, composers and other celebrities of the past.
November 21st, 2015 , 02:26 am
Wikipedia
Do you know what I like most about films about knights, musketeers and so on? That there is no money there. Or rather, there is money, of course, but it is always in pouches.
« " The traveler throws a bag of coins on the table, the innkeeper nods his head and makes a sign for the freckled girl to bring beer.
Or like this:
« Take this as a deposit" The knight throws a bag of coins onto the ground. " When it's all over, you'll get just as much more" The mercenary picks up the wallet from the ground and, satisfied, leaves.
You'll get the same amount. Nice little deal. How many were there? Why are the numbers hidden from the viewer, I would like to know? Why are those who are paid never interested in how much they got? After all, how interesting the plot could have turned out if: “ I need a place to stay, a brisket and more ale" The traveler throws a bag of coins onto the table. The innkeeper unties his wallet, counts the money and, turning purple with rage, begins to shout: “ Get out of here, you scammer. There is only enough here for half a sip of slurry from a cesspool" The wanderer is escorted out of the establishment. He stands alone on the road and sobs quietly...
By the way, it is very important that bags are most often thrown, probably to emphasize the importance of the act of transferring funds. " Find me a good stallion in the next village. Here's the money" A wallet thrown on the table loudly clinks its contents, which undoubtedly enhances the solemnity of the moment.
In general, this sketch could have started differently. For example, like this: in England everything is not like people. They showed the fig to the Pope and created a national church; the king was executed first; they created a constitutional monarchy for themselves, relegating the monarch to the background; driving on the left and... money. Yes, yes, money. The English were the last to adopt the decimal system - only in 1971, which often infuriated those who visited Albion before that date. For example, in Rus' the decimal system has existed almost since XIII century. That is, from the moment the ruble appeared in the country, which was an elongated block of silver weighing about 200 grams.
Novgorod hryvnia. Since the 13th century, the name ruble began to be used to designate these monetary units.
Everything was logical: one ruble was equal to ten kopecks, and one kopeck was equal to ten kopecks. From the time of Peter the Great, fifty kopecks, half-fifty kopecks, piglets and altyns (three kopecks) began to be minted. However, the ruble consisted of the same hundred kopecks 1. But in England it is a completely different matter.
Sherlock Holmes: " Stop! Stop. Stop. Church of St. Monica. Half a sovereign if you deliver in 20 minutes».
Note: The 16th century sovereign was a heavy coin minted from almost pure gold (96%). So it should not be confused with the 19th century sovereign, because they are two completely different sovereigns.
Typically, in the country at that time there were two different coins corresponding to 10 shillings, two - 5 shillings and two - 2 shillings 6 pence. Beauty!
Here is another visual table of coins
18th century (source: http://bit.ly/1laaxqV):
Still from the film “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Treasures of Agra"
In the second half of the 17th century, gold began to be brought to England, which was mined in West Africa (then called Guinea). Guineas began to be minted from it in 1663 ( guinea ), corresponding to, damn it, 21 shillings.
1686 Guinea
This coin lasted until 1817 when it was replaced by the gold sovereign (20 shillings). However, until the introduction decimal system(1971) the amount of 21 shillings continued to be called a guinea. In addition, prices were often indicated in these units. And here, of course, there was a catch. The guinea (21 shillings) was almost equal to the pound (20 shillings), but, obviously, not quite. And this small difference could be used to warm up one's hands. In addition, the guinea was considered a more noble currency than the pound: in XIX century, a true gentleman paid his tailor in shillings, but his lawyer in guineas.
And if we return to the “confrontation” between Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes, then femme fatale paid out a little more than the detective dressed as a tramp (half a sovereign = 10 shillings, half a guinea = 10 shillings 6 pence).
Still from the film “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Treasures of Agra"
And now the main thing. Many people often ask what, say, 15 shillings corresponds to. XVI centuries translated into modern money? The question is, of course, reasonable, but no one can give an unambiguous answer to it. And not because it’s too lazy to count, but for the simple reason that over the centuries, people’s attitude towards work, food and things has constantly changed. Now everything is produced on an industrial scale, but before...Ian Mortimer in his book The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England » leads good example. IN XIV century, a carpenter for making a table received the same amount of money as the cost of the nails needed to make this table 3. Try now to offer the master to work for a day for a handful of nails. At best, he will say that you do not respect other people's work. And in the worst case, he will laugh in your face and send you to hell. However, one should not think that XIV For centuries, the work of a professional was not valued. It’s just that the production of nails required much more resources than now: material, labor, time, and so on.
At the end of the XVI century (200 years after the story of the table) a worker received about 4 pence a day, and in our time the salary of a worker is about 100 pounds (although, of course, a lot depends on the specialty, qualifications and company). That is 6000 times more. At the same time, a chicken in the Elizabethan era cost the same 4 pence 2 (a worker’s daily wage), but now for a package chicken fillet(700 g) you will pay 5 pounds (1/20 of a worker's daily income). So, given these nuances, it is quite difficult to draw a parallel.
In the XIX over the century, wages have risen, but prices have not stood still. For example, in the 1860s, an ordinary hard worker received 3 shillings 9 pence per day, a craftsman (carpenter, mason) - 6 shillings 6 pence, and an engineer - 7 shillings 6 pence 4. Representatives of the middle class (doctors, lawyers, office employees) naturally earned more. Their annual income ranged from 300 to 500 pounds. And teachers of the highest, so to speak, category and journalists received from 150 to 300 pounds a year. However, a loaf of bread at that time cost 7 pence, a pint of beer in a pub - from 3 to 8 pence ( simple people spent up to a fifth of their income on drinking), a pair of rough boots - 11 shillings, a shirt - 1 shilling 4 pence, socks - 9 pence. A second-hand coat could be purchased for 4 shillings. A London cab ride cost 6 pence per mile.
Cab, London, 19th century.
But those who strived for healthy image life, had the opportunity to buy a bicycle for 4-5 pounds. By the way, very expensive pleasure there were books: for a three-volume hardback you had to pay 31 shillings 6 pence, that is, more than for an expensive woman's dress. So many people visited libraries, where an annual subscription cost one guinea 5 .
In a word, the majority of the British lived by tightening their belts. And in particular, our dear Doctor Watson, who left the army with a pension of 11 shillings 6 pence a day *. Although his father was obviously a wealthy man, since he could afford a watch for 50 guineas, which, as is known, first passed to the eldest son, and then to the faithful companion of the great detective.
Still from the film “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Treasures of Agra"
- And you are a nice little boy. What do you want?
- Shilling.
- And what else?
- Two shillings.
- Watson, give him two shillings.
Now I think everyone understands that Sherlock Holmes is openly mocking his friend by turning to him with such a request.
*At first glance, it may seem that Watson received very good money. But here it is necessary to understand that he was paid a pension only for the first nine months. It was assumed that during this time he would improve his health and provide for himself. So the doctor obviously lived very modestly, because, according to the story, he started his own practice only many years after leaving the army.
1 http://www. russian - money. ru/History. aspx ? type = content & id =1# label
2 The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England. Ian Mortimer
3 The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England. Ian Mortimer
4 The Spirit of the Age: Victorian Essays. Edited by Gertrude Himmelfarb. Yale University Press
5 Daily Life in Victorian England. Sally Mitchell