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submitted 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) by CmdrGraves@lemmy.zip to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

Even though Scotland is part of the UK, they print their own bank notes from 3 different banks: Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland & Clydesdale Bank. Same with Northern Ireland (not Ireland proper), their own version of the currency is from Ulster Bank. Despite that, they're both categorized as "Pound Sterling" (GBP).

Meaning they inherit the same monetary value as the British Pound, with the only difference being that they're issued by different banks (like the ones from the UK proper are issued by the Bank of England) while the Scottish ones are from either of those 3 banks mentioned & the Northern Irish one is from Ulster (and mainly used there).

Even though, both versions of the "Pound" exist: are they recognized in the UK (like Britain itself) as real money (legal tender) or will they consider it play money (refuse to accept)? The thing is, are they exchangeable in Europe or will there be issues with foreign exchanges on dealing with both Northern Irish & Scottish Pound notes?

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[-] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 21 points 15 hours ago

At least for Scotland the reason is historical, before the union they had their own pound, so they continued to mint their own coin.

Scottish notes technically aren't legal tender even in Scotland, but this because legal tender has a very narrow meaning in relation to court debts. They're technically promissory notes, the bank of Scotland has to hold reserves of sterling notes to cover them, although most is in special £100m value notes. Banks will accept them in England, some shops will not because they don't recognise them and think they're fake.

[-] cypherpunks@lemmy.ml 9 points 15 hours ago

Wait until you hear about the Alderney pound, Manx pound, Jersey pound, Guernsey pound, Falkland Islands pound, Gibraltar pound, Saint Helena pound, ...

which ones are accepted where is... complicated:from wikipedia:

Throughout the UK, £1 and £2 coins are legal tender for any amount, with the other coins being legal tender only for limited amounts. Bank of England notes are legal tender for any amount in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

[...]

Bank of England, Scottish, Northern Irish, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and Falkland banknotes may be offered anywhere in the UK, although there is no obligation to accept them as a means of payment, and acceptance varies. For example, merchants in England generally accept Scottish and Northern Irish notes, but some unfamiliar with them may reject them.[142] However, Scottish and Northern Irish notes both tend to be accepted in Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively. Merchants in England generally do not accept Jersey, Guernsey, Manx, Gibraltarian, and Falkland notes but Manx notes are generally accepted in Northern Ireland.[143] Bank of England notes are generally accepted in the Falklands and Gibraltar, but for example, Scottish and Northern Irish notes are not.[144] Since all of the notes are denominated in sterling, banks will exchange them for locally issued notes at face value,[145][failed verification] though some in the UK have had trouble exchanging Falkland Islands notes.[146]

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[-] digdilem@lemmy.ml 4 points 13 hours ago
[-] FistingEnthusiast@lemmy.world 6 points 15 hours ago

Because the UK isn't England

When yanks mention "British" accents when they mean English, they show their ignorance

Again...

[-] Greg@lemmy.ca 2 points 14 hours ago

Because writing them by hand would take too long

this post was submitted on 10 Apr 2026
36 points (100.0% liked)

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