Check this out!
The reason we use £ as an abbreviation of "pound" is that it stands for the Latin "Libris," meaning a pound in weight... originally, a pound was what a pound weight of gold was worth... our older currency was known as LSD, the £ being a stylised "L." The other values of currency at that time were the shilling (12 pence) symbolised by "s" for "solidus" or "sestertius" and the penny, symbolised by "d" for denariius... twelve pence made a shilling, twenty shillings a pound, a pound and a shilling together made a guinea... two shillings were a florin, five shillings wre a crown, and two shillings and sixpence were a half crown. The crown was also called a dollar, and the half crown half a dollar... sixpence coins were "tanners," and threepence coins had twelve sides and were called "Joeys..." a shilling was usually refered to as a bob... hence the old rhyme (to the tune of Rule Brittania... ) "Rule Brittania, Two tanners make a bob, Three make eighteen pence, And four two bob..."
