Saint Helena pound

Saint Helena pound
£
The pound is the currency of the Atlantic islands of Saint Helena and Ascension, which are constituent parts of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It is fixed at parity with sterling, and so both currencies are commonly accepted and circulated within Saint Helena. It is subdivided into 100 pence.

Tristan da Cunha, the third part of the territory, officially adopted sterling. However, commemorative coins are occasionally minted for the island.

Initially, sterling coin circulated on Saint Helena, in units of a pound divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.

That was supplemented by occasional local issues of paper currencies. One coin, a copper halfpenny, was struck in 1821, specifically for use in the islands, and intermingled with sterling coinage. The notes were denominated in pounds and shillings, and valued at par with sterling.

Prior to February 1961, the South African pound, which was then equal in value to sterling, was also accepted on the island, but that ceased with the introduction of the new decimal South African rand, with one rand being worth only 10 shillings sterling.

Until 1976, St. Helena used sterling currency, but in February of that year, the St. Helena Government established the Currency Board and began issuing new decimal banknotes at par with sterling for use on the island. Coins intended for circulation on St. Helena and Ascension were introduced in 1984. The use of those coins and notes was extended to Ascension Island, and later also to Tristan da Cunha. Whereas circulating coins are struck with "Saint Helena • Ascension", the banknotes only say "Government of St. Helena".

For a more general history of currency in the South Atlantic region, see British currency in the South Atlantic and the Antarctic.