Egypt Guide
Money
Egypt's basic unit of currency is the Egyptian pound (called a ginay in Arabic, and written £E or LE). At the time of writing, exchange rates were around £E11 to the pound sterling, £E5.80 to the US dollar, and £E7.50 to the euro. It is divided into 100 piastres, which are called ‘urush (singular ‘irsh) in Arabic.
Egyptian banknotes bear Arabic numerals on one side, Western numerals on the other, and come in denominations of 5pt, 10pt, 25pt, 50pt, £E1, £E5, £E10, £E20, £E50 and £E100, though the first two are uncommon. There are coins to the value of 5pt, 10pt, 20pt, 25pt, 50pt and £E1; some 25pt coins have a hole in the middle.
Many of the notes in circulation are so ragged that merchants refuse them. Trying to palm off (and avoid receiving) decrepit notes can add spice to minor transactions, or be a real nuisance. Conversely, some vendors won't accept high-denomination notes (£E20 upwards) due to a shortage of change. While some offer sweets in lieu of coins, others round prices up. Try to hoard coins and small-value notes for tips, fares and small purchases.