List of British banknotes and coins

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List of British banknotes and coins, with commonly used terms.

Prior to decimalisation in 1971, there were 12 pence (written as 12d) in a shilling (written as 1s or 1/ ) and 20 shillings in a pound, written as £1 (occasionally "L" was used instead of the pound sign, £). There were therefore 240 pence in a pound. For example, 2 pounds 14 shillings and 5 pence could have been written as £2 14s 5d or £2/14/5. The origin of £/L, s, and d were the Latin terms Libra, meaning a pound weight (with the £ sign developing as an elaborate L), solidus (pl. solidi), 20 of which made up one Libra, and denarius (pl. denarii), 240 of which made up one Libra with 12 being equal to one solidus. These terms and divisions of currency were in use from the 7th century. The value of some coins fluctuated, particularly in the reigns of James I and Charles I. The value of a guinea fluctuated between 20 and 30 shillings before being fixed at 21 shillings in December 1717. These are denominations of British, or earlier English, coins – Scottish coins had different values. Coin Pre decimalisation value Post decimalisation value Dates of use Notes Mite d £0.0001736 15th century The Flemish groat approximately matched the English penny c 1420 1480 and was divided into 24 mites. The latter was thus extended to mean penny or farthing even if not minted in Tudor England. Quarter farthing d £0.00026 1839–1868. Third farthing d £0.0003472 1827–1913. Sixpence 6d £0.025 1547–1970; circulated from 1971 to 1980 with a value of two and a half decimal pence. Also called "tanner", sometimes "tilbury", or "joey" after the groat was no longer in circulation. Shilling 1/ £0.05 1502–1970, circulated from 1971 to 1990 with a value of five decimal pence. Also called a "bob", in singular or plural. Quarter florin or helm 1/6 £0.075 1344 Gold coin demonetized within one year. Gold penny 1/8 to 2/ £0.0833 to £0.1 1257–1265. Gold. Undervalued for its metal content and extremely rare. Quarter noble 1/8 £0.0833 1344–1470. Quarter angel 2/ £0.1 1547–1600. Gold. Florin or two shillings 2/ £0.1 1848–1970, circulated from 1971 to 1993 with a value of ten decimal pence. Not to be confused with the gold medieval florin. Silver, overstruck on Spanish 8 Reales coin. Crown 5/ £0.25 1526–1965. Sometimes known as "a dollar" – from the 1940s when the exchange rate was four USD to the GBP. Quarter guinea 5/3 £0.2625 1718, 1762. Florin or double leopard 6/ £0.3 1344. Gold; demonetized within one year. Ten pence £0.10 10p A replacement for the florin (two shillings). The coin was reduced in size in 1992. Twenty pence £0.20 20p Introduced in 1982. Twenty five pence £0.25 25p A commemorative coin issued between 1972 and 1981 as a post decimal continuation of the old crown. From 1990 it was replaced in the commemorative role by the £5 coin. Fifty pence £0.50 50p Introduced in 1969, just prior to decimalisation, to replace the ten shilling note ("ten bob note"). It was initially sometimes called a "ten bob bit". The coin was reduced in size in 1997. One pound £1 Introduced in 1983 to replace the one pound note. Sovereign £1 Gold bullion coins, available in four other sizes too: quarter sovereign (25p), half sovereign (£), double sovereign (£2) and quintuple sovereign (£5). Two pounds £2 Issued as a commemorative coin from 1986 and in general circulation from 1998 (dated from 1997). Britannia various values Gold and silver bullion coins, either one — or multiples, or fractions of — troy ounces. Five pounds £5 Introduced in 1990 as a commemorative coin, as a continuation of the old crown, replacing the commemorative role of the twenty five pence coin. The Valiant £10 Bullion / collectors' coins issued in 2018 and 2019; 10 troy ounces of silver. Twenty pounds £20 Introduced in 2013 as a commemorative coin. Fifty pounds £50 Introduced in 2015 as a commemorative coin. One hundred pounds £100 Introduced in 2015 as a commemorative coin.