“Pound” is missing from the infamous “The Devil’s Dictionary” of A.Bierce, first published in 1906. Many of its observations resonate more strongly now than when Bierce first made them . “Money” is:

A blessing that is of no advantage to us excepting when we part with it. An evidence of culture and a passport to polite society. Supportable property.

“Pounds Sterling” originates in 12th-century. It derives from “Easterling Silver” (the metal and techniques for refining it) which took its name from the Easterling area of Germany,  noted for its 92.5% pure/hard/high-quality coin-grade silver.

History accelerates. We now have WebMoney, EntroPay, NetEller, …