domain £.com (and poundsymbol-dotcom)

[symboldomain]

Hi

I am hoping to get a 'ball-park' appraisal on this domain name identity. There are actually two names here (as detailed in the title) and both are translations of one another, graphically and textually.

£.com is, of course, an IDN and represents the British pound symbol. The £ symbol may be found on 18 country keyboards throughout Europe (incl. the UK). You do need an IDN-enabled browser to make £.com resolve properly and the stats now show that IDN-enabled browsers are quickly replacing non-IDN browsers around the world.

The £.com domain gets significant 'type in' every day, but I am reluctant to post any stats at this time.

Regards,

 

[RJ]

Hey, nice name! It's one of a tiny group of single character IDN's that I would say that about. Most symbol domains tend to be obscure characters that are nearly impossible to type. This one is standard on UK keyboards so it could be easily turned into a highly brandable domain.

As for value, I could hardly imagine a name any more difficult to appraise. What would you even compare it to? I'll take a stab and say you could probably fetch $5k in a "quick sale" type of situation to a reseller or novelty domain collector. But I'd rather peg it's real value and potential in the $30k+ range, assuming you were able to sell an end user on its brandability.

Who knows though, I could be way off on this one. :D

 

[symboldomain]

Nice one, thanks for that Ron! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me.. And you're right, it probably is impossible to appraise as there are only 2 famous symbol domain names in '.com' and, predictably enough, the other one represents the euro! Lol.

 

[RJ]

One of only two? That's an amazingly small niche of domains. Is there no $.com?

 

[symboldomain]

One of only two? That's an amazingly small niche of domains. Is there no $.com?

Hi Ron,

I remember speaking with a (now well-known) 'domainer' some 11 years ago (of course, I absolutely won't mention his name). Back then I was looking to understand domain names in extreme detail, and wanted to break them down in to their component parts, as it were.

We started talking about 'fantasy' domains, and what we wanted IF price were no object. We spoke for a good while about text-based domains.. you know, the 'usual suspects'... business.com, sex.com, hotel.com.. blah, blah.. and I then said "what about symbols in domain names?".. they being the other side of coin, if you will, and a familiar mainstay of every computer keyboard.

He said, and I will never forget, "if the devil came to town, and he wanted to set up a site, then he'd want $.com as his domain". We both laughed, but were also both left wondering whether $.com would EVER become possible as a domain name - in short, it isn't and it won't be.. I won't go in to the many reasons here, but will say I have spent a good long while myself trying to figure out a way to get $.com - but it is impossible.

I didn't know that back then tho, but it was that discussion that made me realise that symbol-based domain names could become a possibility in the future, and then when IDN came along in 2000 it gave life to symbol-based names.

£.com is $.com's 'sister domain'... It won't mean a thing to anyone who is not in Europe, as the symbol isn't on their keyboards.. but then again, I think that is what IDN is about really - regional domains, applicable to certain markets.

 

[dag]

If you're actually the owner of this domain (which you imply), it could be worth a HUGE amount of money, either at auction or to the right end user. Incredible domain!

 

[wot]

Nice one, thanks for that Ron! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me.. And you're right, it probably is impossible to appraise as there are only 2 famous symbol domain names in '.com' and, predictably enough, the other one represents the euro! Lol.

I think this one is likely to be more famous 元.com in the coming years and with the demise of the £sterling.com in the not too distant future and controversy regarding the use of such synbols and whether they will be allowed hangs a bit of a cloud over such names- can you categorically state that this symbol domain will not be scratched from the register :?

Whatever, currently it is a great name and I hope it does not disappear.

 

[symboldomain]

can you categorically state that this symbol domain will not be scratched from the register :?

Thanks Wot. I can say without any doubt that £.com will not be going anywhere, or indeed be 'scratched' from the register. Lol. I don't know how this whispering rumour originally started but my company has examined this in detail and have found there is no way that ICANN can delete it from the registry or attempt to invalidate the registration in any way.

To even attempt such a thing would open them up to a minefield of criticism (for example the situ re: the 3 single-letter '.com' names in existence) and a lawsuit.

Your £sterling.com domain is quite safe. Don't worry!

 

[wot]

Thanks Wot. I can say without any doubt that £.com will not be going anywhere, or indeed be 'scratched' from the register. Lol. I don't know how this whispering rumour originally started but my company has examined this in detail and have found there is no way that ICANN can delete it from the registry or attempt to invalidate the registration in any way.

To even attempt such a thing would open them up to a minefield of criticism (for example the situ re: the 3 single-letter '.com' names in existence) and a lawsuit.

Your £sterling.com domain is quite safe. Don't worry!

Then I suggest a quick sale before the conservatives get in and plump for the euro but the pound will certainly have a lasting memory for many people even when it does go and your name will continue to be brandable. :blink:

 

[symboldomain]

Then I suggest a quick sale before the conservatives get in and plump for the euro but the pound will certainly have a lasting memory for many people even when it does go and your name will continue to be brandable. :blink:

Lol. Thanks for the advice

 

[RJ]

Is the UK definitely converting to the Euro in the future?

 

[pixelbypixel]

Not definitely, but the Conservative government party want to, so if they ever get in power chances are we will end up using the euro.

Personal preference is keeping our good old pound!

 

[symboldomain]

450 year old symbols don't die easily..

The £ symbol has been the UK's symbol of currency for that length of time, and if the question of considering the euro does ever arise in the future, then £.com will be an ideal forum to help people make their choice about whether to accept it or keep the pound.

The Bank of England is the pound's physical home and £.com is its virtual home, and it is right that if such a debate does take place then it takes place there...