Egyptian Pound (EGP)
The Egyptian pound has a long history, tracing back to 1834 when it replaced the Egyptian piastre as the base unit. It became the country's standard paper currency by 1914, and was fully "Egyptianized" in 1960 when a presidential decree established the Central Bank of Egypt and gave it sole authority to issue banknotes, a role it formally took up in January 1961.
EGP ⇄ USD Converter
History
Every Egyptian banknote carries two faces: an Arabic side depicting Islamic architecture from across Egypt, and an English side featuring motifs from ancient Egyptian history — statues, temples, and pharaonic engravings. Since 1968 the Central Bank has used a security thread and the watermark image of the Seated Scribe, a famous piece of ancient Egyptian sculpture, to help deter counterfeiting. More recently, the central bank began issuing polymer banknotes, starting with the 10 and 20 pound denominations in 2021, which added rainbow holograms and other modern security features.
Denominations
Egyptian pound banknotes currently circulate in these denominations:
- E£1, E£5, E£10, E£20 — smaller, everyday notes
- E£50, E£100, E£200 — larger-value notes
Coins are issued in 5, 10, 25, and 50 piastre denominations, plus a 1-pound coin. Interestingly, note size scales with value — the E£200 note is the largest physically, while the smallest denomination notes are correspondingly compact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the currency symbol for the Egyptian pound?
It's commonly written as E£ or ج.م in Arabic. Its ISO 4217 currency code is EGP.
What is a piastre?
The piastre is the Egyptian pound's subunit — 100 piastres make one pound, similar to how cents relate to a dollar.
Is the Egyptian pound pegged to the US dollar?
No, it floats, and has seen significant depreciation and volatility in recent years following changes to Egypt's exchange rate policy.
Where can I see rates for other African currencies?
Check the full currency directory on the African Currencies homepage, which covers all 54 African countries.