Saint Helena Pound Symbol (£)
The Saint Helena Pound (£) is the official currency of the South Atlantic British Overseas Territories of Saint Helena and Ascension Island. Issued by the Government of Saint Helena, it is pegged at 1:1 parity with the British Pound Sterling (GBP).
Typographic & Developer Encoding Codes
Quickly copy HTML entities, CSS content escape sequences, and Unicode code points for Saint Helena Pound.
| Format | Value / Code | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Symbol | £ | Standard plain text character or abbreviation | |
| Unicode Code Point | U+00A3 | POUND SIGN (Latin-1 Supplement) | |
| Windows Input / Alt Code | Alt + 0163 | Keyboard shortcut for Windows PC | |
| HTML Named / Decimal Entity | £ | HTML5 named character entity | |
| HTML Hex Entity | £ | Hexadecimal HTML character reference | |
| CSS Escape Code | \00A3 | For CSS ::before or ::after pseudo-elements |
How to Type Saint Helena Pound Symbol (£) on Any Device
Windows PC
Hold the Alt key and type 0163 on the numeric keypad.
Mac / macOS
Press Option + 3 on your macOS keyboard.
iPhone & iPad (iOS)
Tap 123, long-press $ and select £
Android (Gboard)
Tap ?123, long-press $ and select £
Formatting Rules & Real-World Examples
Symbol Placement: Before Amount
In standard financial notation, the Saint Helena Pound symbol is positioned immediately before the numerical amount.
Typography & International Usage Guidelines
The currency uses the standard pound sign (£) placed before the amount (£50.00). It holds the international ISO 4217 code SHP. UK Bank of England notes are widely accepted across Saint Helena and Ascension Island.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming Tristan da Cunha uses SHP (Tristan da Cunha uses standard UK Bank of England notes).
- Attempting to spend SHP notes in high street shops in London (they are not legal tender in the UK).
- Using an invented symbol (Saint Helena uses standard £).
Historical Background & Monetary Evolution
Initially, the British East India Company issued copper coins for Saint Helena in 1821. British sterling subsequently became the standard medium of exchange. In 1976, the Saint Helena government began issuing its own banknotes under the Currency Ordinance, followed by circulating commemorative coins in 1984. Note that Tristan da Cunha, the third territory in the grouping, officially uses Bank of England notes rather than the Saint Helena Pound.
Countries & Jurisdictions Using £
Related Tools & Guides for Saint Helena Pound
ISO 4217 Lookup
Search standard three-letter currency codes and ISO country pairings.
ToolCurrency Formatter
Calculate before/after position styles and international decimal notations.
GuideMac Option Key Shortcuts
How to configure and type international financial marks quickly on macOS.
GuideGoogle Docs & Sheets Guide
Insert special characters and configure currency formats in spreadsheets.
GuideiPhone & iPad Shortcuts
Quick long-press keyboard shortcuts on iOS to type monetary symbols.
SpecsUnicode Technical Standards
Master technical index for U+20A0–U+20CF blocks, HTML entities & CSS codes.
Similar & Related Currency Symbols
View all Pound Currencies (£) →Standards Verification & Official Registry Specifications
This specification has been verified against official international standards registries (ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency, Unicode Consortium 16.0, and Unicode CLDR).
Frequently Asked Questions about Saint Helena Pound (£)
Common questions and direct answers regarding currency symbols, typing shortcuts, and international formatting.
Which islands use the Saint Helena Pound?
The Saint Helena Pound is official legal tender on Saint Helena and Ascension Island. Tristan da Cunha uses UK Bank of England notes.
What is the ISO 4217 code for Saint Helena Pound?
The ISO code is SHP (numeric 654).
Is the Saint Helena Pound pegged to sterling?
Yes, it is pegged at exactly 1:1 with the British Pound Sterling (GBP).