1 Pound

St. Helena's first domestic pound note series, of which P#6 is a part, emerged after the island's currency was formally separated from the pound sterling system and pegged locally — a move tied to the broader administrative reorganization of British dependent territories in the early 1970s. Thomas De La Rue had printed St. Helena's earlier colonial issues as well, so the relationship was long-standing rather than newly contracted.

The island's population at the time of issue was under five thousand, making this one of the lowest-circulation pound note series produced by De La Rue for any territory. Survival rates for used examples are surprisingly low given the small economy — heavy handling in a tight circulation pool wears notes quickly.