British banknotes
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British banknotes are the banknotes of the United Kingdom and British Islands, denominated in pounds sterling (GBP).
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Issuing banks
Pound sterling banknotes are issued:
- In England and Wales by the Bank of England.
- These are legal tender in England and Wales, and generally accepted throughout the UK.
- In Scotland by:
- the Bank of Scotland
- the Royal Bank of Scotland
- the Clydesdale Bank
- These are recognised currency in Scotland and are, in theory, generally accepted throughout the UK. However, many people outside Scotland are unfamiliar with the notes and they may sometimes be refused.
- These are rarely seen outside Northern Ireland. They are generally accepted in Scotland, but are often not accepted in England and Wales without some explanation.
Sterling banknotes are also issued by the following British dependencies outside the UK:
Bank of England notes are the only banknotes that are legal tender in England and Wales. Scottish, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and Manx banknotes are not legal tender in England and Wales. However, they are not illegal under English law and creditors and traders may accept them if they so choose.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland no banknotes – not even ones issued in those regions – are legal tender, although Bank of England one pound notes were when they existed: Bank of England notes of under five pounds value are legal tender. Scottish and Northern Irish notes are 'promissory notes', essentially cheques made out from the bank to 'the bearer', as the wording on each note says.
Most of the notes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland have to be backed by Bank of England notes held by the issuing bank. To make this possible the Bank of England issues one million pound notes for internal use by the other banks.
Issuers
England and Wales
Bank of England notes
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In 1921 the Bank of England gained a legal monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales, a process that started with the Bank Charter Act of 1844 when the ability of other banks to issues notes was restricted.
The bank issued its first banknotes in 1694, although until 1745 they were written for irregular amounts, rather than predefined multiples of a pound. It tended to be times of war, which put inflationary pressure on the British economy, that led to greater note issue. In 1759 during the Seven Years' War, when the lowest value note issued by the Bank was £20, a £10 note was issued for the first time. In 1793, during the war with revolutionary France, the Bank issued the first £5 note. Four years later, £1 and £2 notes appeared, although not on a permanent basis. Notes did not become entirely machine-printed and payable to the bearer until 1855.
At the start of World War I, the government issued £1 and 10-shilling Treasury notes to supplant the sovereign and half-sovereign gold coins. The first coloured banknotes were issued in 1928, and were also the first notes to be printed on both sides. World War II saw a reversal in the trend of warfare creating more notes when, in order to combat forgery, higher denomination notes (at the time as high as £1,000) were removed from circulation.
As of July 2005 the Bank of England banknotes in circulation, known as Series E, do not exceed £50. The notes are as follows:
- 5 pound note depicting Elizabeth Fry, showing a meeting of people possibly discussing prisoners' rights.
- 10 pound note depicting Charles Darwin, a hummingbird and the HMS Beagle.
- 20 pound note depicting Sir Edward Elgar, with a view of the west face of Worcester Cathedral.
- 50 pound note depicting Sir John Houblon, with a view of his house in Threadneedle Street.
As of 2005, they are signed by the Chief Cashier, Andrew Bailey.
All the notes issued since Series C in 1960 also depict Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in full view facing left and as a watermark, hidden, facing right; recent issues have the EURion constellation around. The custom of depicting historical figures on the reverse began with Series D in 1970. Previous banknotes have depicted Sir Isaac Newton, the Duke of Wellington, Florence Nightingale, William Shakespeare, Sir Christopher Wren, George Stephenson, Charles Dickens and Michael Faraday.
The Bank of England Series D one pound note was discontinued in 1984, being replaced by a pound coin.
Higher-value notes are used within the banks – particularly the £1 million and £100 million notes used to maintain parity with Scottish and Northern Irish notes. Banknotes issued by Scottish and Northern Irish banks have to be backed by Bank of England notes (other than a small amount representing the currency in circulation in 1845), and special million pound notes are used for this purpose. These resemble simple IOUs and bear no aesthetic design features. [1]
Scotland
Scottish banknotes are unusual in that they are not legal tender anywhere in the UK - not even in Scotland - they are in fact promissory notes. Indeed, no banknotes (even Bank of England notes) are now legal tender in Scotland - although like debit cards and credit cards, they are still used as money.
Bank of Scotland notes
In circulation:
- 5 pound note featuring a vignette of oil and energy
- 10 pound note featuring a vignette of distilling and brewing
- 20 pound note featuring a vignette of education and research
- 50 pound note featuring a vignette of arts and culture
- 100 pound note featuring a vignette of leisure and tourism
All the notes also depict Sir Walter Scott who was instrumental in retaining the right of Scottish banks to issue their own notes in the 1840s.
Royal Bank of Scotland notes
In circulation are:
- 1 pound note featuring Edinburgh Castle
- 5 pound note featuring Culzean Castle
- 10 pound note featuring Glamis Castle
- 20 pound note featuring Brodick Castle
- 50 pound note featuring Inverness Castle
- 100 pound note featuring Balmoral Castle
All these notes also depict Lord Ilay (1682-1761), first governor of the bank.
Occasionally the Royal Bank issues commemorative banknotes, usually in the £5 denomination. Examples are for the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 2000, and honouring veteran golfer Jack Nicklaus in his last competitive Open competition at St Andrews in 2005 (an issue of two million notes). These notes are much sought-after by collectors and they rarely remain long in circulation.
Clydesdale Bank notes
- 5 pound note featuring Robert Burns on the obverse and a vignette of a field mouse from Burns' poem To a Mouse on the reverse
- 10 pound note featuring Mary Slessor on the front and a vignette of a map of Calabar and African missionary scenes on the back
- 20 pound note featuring Robert the Bruce on the front and a vignette of the Bruce on horseback with the Monymusk Reliquary against a background of Stirling Castle on the back
- 50 pound note featuring Adam Smith on the front and a vignette of industry tools against a background of sailing ships on the back
- 100 pound note featuring Lord Kelvin on the front and a vignette of the University of Glasgow on the back
Northern Ireland
Bank of Ireland notes
All Bank of Ireland notes feature the Queen's University of Belfast on the obverse. The principal difference between the denominations is their colour and size.
First Trust Bank notes
First Trust Bank is the successor to the Allied Irish Banks (AIB). It was formed by a merger of the Northern Irish parts of AIB and TSB. AIB was itself the successor to the Provincial Bank of Ireland following another merger. The banknotes issued by First Trust Bank continue the series started by the Provincial Bank of Ireland, also issued by AIB.
First Trust Bank's current notes depict generic people of Northern Ireland on the front, alternately male and female, but with a pair of older people on the £100 note. The obverse generally features designs associated with the Spanish Armada, or coastal features.
- 10 pound note featuring the vessel Girona (galleass) on the obverse
- 20 pound note featuring the chimney at Lagada Point on the obverse
- 50 pound note featuring a commemorative medal on the obverse
- 100 pound note featuring the Armada on the obverse
A £5 note featuring Dunluce Castle on the obverse was issued by the Provincial Bank of Ireland and by AIB, but has not been issued by First Trust Bank.
Northern Bank notes
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- 5 pound polymer note featuring the U.S. space shuttle
- 10 pound note featuring J. B. Dunlop on the front and the portico of Belfast's city hall on the back
- 20 pound note featuring Harry Ferguson on the front and the portico of Belfast City Hall on the back
- 50 pound note featuring Sir S.C. Davidson on the front and the portico of Belfast City Hall on the back
- 100 pound note featuring Sir James Martin on the front and the portico of Belfast City Hall on the back
Following the theft of £22 million from its money handling centre in Belfast on 22 December 2004, allegedly by the Provisional IRA, Northern Bank announced on 7 January 2005 that all its notes were to be recalled and reissued in different colours and styles, and using the bank's new logo. The reissue began on 14 March 2005 and was scheduled to take one month; old notes remain exchangeable at branches of Northern Bank. See Northern Bank robbery.
The principal colours of Northern Bank notes of greater than £5 face value were changed with the 2005 reissue, and are now (former colour in brackets):
- £10 green (brown)
- £20 blue (purple)
- £50 purple (green)
- £100 red (black)
Ulster Bank notes
Ulster Bank's current notes all share a rather plain design of a view of Belfast harbour flanked by landscape views; the design of the reverse is dominated by the bank's coats-of-arms. The principal difference between the denominations is their colour and size.
Channel Islands
States of Jersey notes
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Main article: Jersey pound
The Treasurer of the States of Jersey, Channel Islands, holds £1.10 in Bank of England notes for each £1 issued, making the Jersey Pound a very strong currency. The current notes depict Queen Elizabeth II on the front and various landmarks of Jersey or incidents in Jersey history on the reverse. The watermark is a Jersey cow
- 1 pound note, green, St. Helier Parish Church (In 2004, a special edition £1 note is in general circulation alongside the St. Helier Parish Church note; this commemorative note marks the 800th anniversary of the division of the Duchy of Normandy in 1204 and the design consequently includes Mont Orgueil Castle and other historic symbols)
- 5 pound note, purple, La Corbière lighthouse
- 10 pound note, red, The Death of Major Pierson, Battle of Jersey, 1781
- 20 pound note, blue, St. Ouen's manor
- 50 pound note, brown, Government House
States of Guernsey notes
Main article: Guernsey pound
The Guernsey Pound is legal tender only in Guernsey, but also circulates freely in Jersey. Elsewhere it can be exchanged in banks and bureaux de change. In addition to coins, the following banknotes are used:
- 1 pound note, green, Daniel De Lisle Brock, Bailiff of Guernsey 1762 - 1842 and Royal Court, St Peter Port 1840 on front and the Market, St Peter Port on back
- 5 pound note, pink, Queen Elizabeth II and the Town Church, St Peter Port on front, and Fort Grey and Hanois Lighthouse 1862 on the back
- 10 pound note, blue/orange, Queen Elizabeth II and Elizabeth College, St Peter Port on the front and Saumarez Park, Les Niaux Watermill, Le Trepid Dolmen on the back
- 20 pound note, pink, Queen Elizabeth II and St James Concert Hall, St Peter Port on the front and Vale Castle and St Sampson's Church on the back
The monarch on bank notes
Queen Elizabeth II was not the first British monarch to have her face on UK banknotes. Georges II, III and IV appeared on early Royal Bank of Scotland notes and George V appeared on 10 shillings and 1 pound notes issued by the Treasury between 1914 and 1928. However, prior to the issue of its Series C banknotes in 1960, Bank of England banknotes did not depict the monarch. Today, notes issued by the other note issuing banks do not depict the monarch.
The monarch is depicted on banknotes issued by the Crown dependencies.