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History of Jersey Pounds
The pound is the currency of Jersey. Jersey is in currency union with the United Kingdom, and the Jersey pound is not a separate currency but is an issue of banknotes and coins by the States of Jersey denominated in pound sterling, in a similar way to the banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It can be exchanged at par with other sterling coinage and notes.
For this reason, ISO 4217 does not include a separate currency code for the Jersey pound, but where a distinct code is desired JEP is generally used.
Both Jersey and Bank of England notes are legal tender in Jersey and circulate together, alongside the Guernsey pound and Scottish banknotes. Although the Jersey notes are not legal tender in the United Kingdom, creditors and traders may accept them if they so choose.
History
A page from a ready reckoner published in 1854 allowing at-a-glance conversion between Jersey currency and three other currencies in use at the time
The livre was the currency of Jersey until 1834. It consisted of French coins which, in the early 19th century, were exchangeable for sterling at a rate of 26 livres = 1 pound. After the livre was replaced by the franc in France in 1795, the supply of coins in Jersey dwindled leading to difficulties in trade and payment. In 1834, an Order in Council adopted the pound sterling as Jersey's sole official legal tender, although French copper coins continued to circulate alongside British silver coins, with 26 sous equal to the shilling. Because the sous remained the chief small-change coins, when a new copper coinage was issued for Jersey in 1841, it was based on a penny worth 1⁄13 of a shilling, the equivalent of 2 sous. This system continued until 1877, when a penny of 1⁄12 of a shilling was introduced.
Along with the rest of the British Isles, Jersey decimalized in 1971 and began issuing a full series of circulating coins from ½p to 50p. £1 and £2 denominations followed later.
As of December 2005, there was £64.7m of Jersey currency in circulation. A profit of £2.8m earned on the issue of Jersey currency was received by the Treasurer of the States in 2005.
Coins
In 1841, copper 1⁄52, 1⁄26 and 1⁄13 shilling coins were introduced, followed by bronze 1⁄26 and 1⁄13 shilling in 1866. In 1877, with the switch to 12 pence to the shilling, bronze 1⁄48, 1⁄24 and 1⁄12 shilling were introduced. This was the only issue of the 1⁄48 shilling denomination. In 1957, a nickel-brass 3 pence coin was introduced carrying the denomination "one fourth of a shilling". The 1957 and 1960 issues were round, with a dodecagonal version introduced in 1964.
In 1968, 5 and 10 pence coins were introduced, followed by 50 pence in 1969 and ½, 1 and 2 pence in 1971 when decimalization took place. All had the same composition and size as the corresponding British coins. A 20 pence coin was introduced in 1982, followed by a 1 pound coin in 1983 and 2 pounds in 1998. The ½ penny coin was last minted in 1981. The 1 and 2 pounds coins are not commonly encountered. |