Pound Sign
Block: Latin-1 Supplement
- Symbol
- £
- Unicode
U+00A3- Unicode name
- POUND SIGN
- Block
- Latin-1 Supplement
- Script
- Common
- Category
- Symbol, Currency
- Type
- Unicode symbol
Pound Sign (£) is encoded as U+00A3 and has the formal Unicode name POUND SIGN. Unicode classifies it as Symbol, Currency in the Latin-1 Supplement block. The pound sign is commonly used with pounds sterling and other pound-denominated currencies. Separately encoded named neighbors include € Euro Sign (U+20AC) and ¥ Yen Sign (U+00A5); those records should be compared by name and code point rather than merged because their shapes or terminology are related.
The recorded use of Pound Sign
£ is used in the role described for Pound Sign: the pound sign is commonly used with pounds sterling and other pound-denominated currencies.
In that context, U+00A3 identifies the character itself. The surrounding text supplies the specific information or notation that the mark accompanies, so character identity and document context should be kept separate.
Have another unfamiliar character? Open what is this symbol (£)? and identify it from the glyph itself, a Unicode value, or its appearance.
How £ Is Encoded
U+00A3 = decimal 163 = HTML £ / £. A Unicode escape-style form is u00A3. Its UTF-8 bytes are C2 A3.
Use these identifiers in markup, source code, exports, or character diagnostics when the glyph alone is not enough.
The Encoded Identity Behind Pound Sign
£ is Pound Sign (U+00A3), classified by Unicode as Symbol, Currency. In digital typography, that encoded identity is separate from the font drawing: a typeface can change width, stroke, or placement without turning the character into another code point.
This matters when punctuation, currency, or measurement marks have close visual neighbors. Preserve the intended character first; language- or style-guide spacing rules can then be applied without silently substituting a different mark.
Characters That Can Be Confused With £
This character is linked with nearby or confusable records including € Euro Sign (U+20AC), ¥ Yen Sign (U+00A5), and ₤ Lira Sign (U+20A4). The relationship is useful for identification, but it does not make those characters interchangeable.
Fonts can reduce or exaggerate visual differences, so use each character's Unicode value and name when the distinction matters. Replacing one code point with another can change meaning, search behavior, parsing, sorting, or typography even when the glyphs appear close on screen.
£ and Its Separately Encoded Neighbors
Unicode stores £ as U+00A3, while nearby records include € Euro Sign (U+20AC) and ¥ Yen Sign (U+00A5). These are separate encoded identities, not alternate font drawings of one character.
The comparison is useful because a shared word in the name, a mirrored direction, or a similar outline can make two symbols appear interchangeable. When the distinction matters, compare the complete Unicode name and code point before replacing one record with another.