� Sterling

[Bellringer]

When did � Sterling become GBP and why?
Is this another case of 'dumbing down'

[WaldoMcFroog]

I blame the immigrants. It's PC gone mad. Phone the Daily Mail.

Or possibly it's the ISO 4217 currency code.

[saxy_jag]

I had always assumed it was because not all computers can use the character set that includes the � sign. However, I suspect this isn't so.

[jno]

only British keyboards have � signs, I think. But all currencies have three-letter codes, eg USD for US dollars.

http://www.xe.com/iso4217.php

[Octavius]

GBP - Pound Sterling [United Kingdom Pound] The use of "GB" for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" surprises some people. However, the United Kingdom and the Ukraine both wanted "UK" so rather than start World War III over the matter, the United Kingdom was assigned "GB" and the Ukraine was assigned "UA."

http://www.forexrealm.com/additional-info/curr encies-codes.html

[jno]

...leaving UK to be assigned to Upper Knaresborough.

[BillStickers]

I say we declare war on the Ukraine and reclaim our British UK that , erm, they don't have.
Ok, Upper Knaresborough then!
we use currency codes like these... - USD, EUR, GBP, CHF etc. as global language.