If you are planning a trip to England, you will want to know the value of the English pound (commonly called the United Kingdom pound, or pound sterling). You also could be shopping online from a store that requires payment in English pounds, or a relative may ask you to convert some English pounds he has left over from a recent trip. In each of these cases, knowing the value of the pound helps you protect your dollars.
Call or visit a bank. You will get a better rate than at one of those exchange booths at the airport that may typically charge you large fees and commissions.
Determine if the transaction is a "sell" or a "buy". If you are buying English pounds, the transaction is a "sell" (the bank is selling the currency to you). If you have English pounds in hand and are converting them back to your home country's currency, then it is a "buy" (the bank is buying the currency from you).
Ask the bank for the "buy" or "sell" exchange rate for United Kingdom pounds. Make sure to specify if the transaction is to be done in cash or another instrument, such as traveler's checks. The exchange rates for cash transactions can be different.
Multiply the amount of English pounds by the exchange rate. This will give you the equivalent in the other currency.
