Well, it works if I load the string into a DOM object and save the DOM to 
the response stream, e.g.
-------------------------------------------
<%@ Language=VBScript %>
<%Response.ContentType="text/xml"%>
<%
Dim objXML
set objXML = CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.4.0")

objXML.loadXML( "<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""UTF-8""?>" & _
         "<text>Cost £200</text>"   )

objXML.save Response
%>
---------------------------------------

I have no idea why this makes a difference, but who am I to argue with the 
DOM?

--Brian

"brb" <b_bertan@h...> wrote in message 
news:uBGylL1xFHA.1256@T......
>I am trying to return XML through an ASP page and it simply fails when the 
>XML contains characters with ascii value is > 128.  While I generate my 
>data dynamically, this simple example -- note the currency symbol --  
>displays the same error: "An invalid character was found in text content.". 
>It displays properly if I use a $ instead of the £
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> <%@ Language=VBScript %>
> <%Response.ContentType="text/xml"%>
> <%
> Response.Write "<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""UTF-8""?>"
> Response.Write "<text>Cost £200</text>"     %>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Thanks,
>
> --Brian
>