Start hereDictionarySearch
English
日本語English中文ItalianoFrançaisDeutschEspañol
Sign in Fees and how to study
NOMISMA
Read history Money history: the world and JapanBubbles, frauds and financial crisesPeople who changed moneyReadingsSee all of Read history
Understand how money works Banks and depositsInterest, prices and exchange ratesCash and digital paymentsHistory's lessons for today's decisionsSee all of Understand how money works
Look at coins Browse by photoImages, letters and materialsCare, storage and tradingSee all of Look at coins
Start hereDictionarySearch
Fees and how to study Sign in
Language
日本語English中文ItalianoFrançaisDeutschEspañol

pound

ポンド　—　Names of money

The currency of Britain. It first meant one pound weight of silver.

Solidus of Constantine Solidus of ConstantineAD 310–313 Penny of Offa Penny of Offa757–796 Silver denier of Charlemagne Silver denier of Charlemagne794 onward
A photograph of what this word names.

⚠ The name of the coin is also the name of a unit of weight. This is a remnant of an era when payments were made by weighing silver, a legacy that has persisted as the name of the currency for a thousand years.