Pound sterling

:GBP redirects here. For other uses, see GBP (disambiguation).

Before sterling

• In Anglo-Saxon times, small silver coins known as sceats were used in trade: these were derived from Frisian examples, and weighed about 20 grains (c. 1.3 g).
• King Offa of Mercia c. AD 790 introduced a silver penny of 22.5 grains (c. 1.5 g). Two hundred and forty of these were made from a measure of silver known as the Tower pound: apparently it nominally weighed 5400 grains (c. 349.9 g).
• In 1526 the standard was changed to the Troy pound of 5764 grains (373.242 g).
• See also Saxon pound