United Kingdom pounds sterling

Pound sterling banknotes the British Islands
ISO 4217 Code	GBP
User(s)	UK, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Saint Helena
Subunit
1/100	penny
Symbol	£
penny	p
Banknotes
Freq. used	£5, £10, £20, £50
Rarely used	£1 (Scot., Jersey, Guernsey, IoM only), £100 (Scot. & N. Ireland only) higher values exist such as £100,000,000 (Titan) bank note, however, usage is restricted
Central bank	Bank of England
Website	www.bankofengland.co.uk
Printer	Issuing banks: English (inc.Wales) notes: Bank of England Scottish notes: Bank of Scotland Royal Bank of Scotland Clydesdale Bank Northern Irish notes: Northern Bank First Trust Bank Ulster Bank Bank of Ireland Crown dependencies: States of Guernsey States of Jersey Isle of Man Government Note printer: De La Rue

Sterling banknotes are the banknotes in circulation in the British Islands (encompassing the United Kingdom and the British Crown dependencies), denominated in pounds sterling (symbol: £; ISO 4217 currency code GBP). One pound is equivalent to 100 pence.

The pound is the official currency of the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies of Britain. Three British Overseas Territories also have currencies called pounds which are at par with the pound sterling.

In most countries of the world the issue of banknotes is handled exclusively by a single central bank or government, but in the United Kingdom seven retail banks have the right to print their own banknotes in addition to the Bank of England; Sterling banknote issue is thus not automatically tied in with one national identity or the activity of the state. The arrangements in the UK are unusual but not unique, as a comparable system is used in Hong Kong, where three banks issue their own banknotes in addition to the Hong Kong government.