The lowdown on British pounds
A currency steeped in history
The British pound (GBP) is the oldest currency still in use today, dating back to around 775 AD when silver pennies were introduced under King Offa of Mercia—240 of these pennies equalled one pound in silver weight. The name comes from the Latin libra pondo, meaning “pound weight”.¹
Over time, the pound evolved: King Henry VII minted the first pound coins in 1489, and the Bank of England began issuing gold-backed paper notes in 1694, making it the world’s first central bank.²
In 1971, the UK adopted decimalisation, replacing the old pounds–shillings–pence system with today’s simpler format. The pound remains one of the four most traded currencies in the world. and is still known affectionately as “sterling,” “quid,” or “nicker.”³
NZD to GBP: Exchange rate trends
The New Zealand dollar to British pound exchange rate has seen notable swings over the years:
- 2009 – Around 1 NZD = 0.35 GBP⁴
- 2014-2015 – Averaged around 0.52 GBP before dropping to 0.40 GBP in Sept⁵
- 2025 – Peaked around 0.455 GBP in February and reached lows near 0.431 GBP in April⁶
Sources:
² First pound coins and Bank of England history — CGAA’s article on British Pound currency history
³ Pound nicknames and global trading rank — WEF overview of the pound
⁴ NZD to GBP in 2009 – historical trend snapshot — PoundSterlingLive historical rates
⁵ NZD to GBP in 2014–15 – Investing.com historical data — Investing.com NZD/GBP data
⁶ 2025 NZD to GBP range – February high and April low — Exchange-Rates.org NZD to GBP 2025 history
*Data correct as of 13 August 2025.
