Clydesdale Bank £5 note
| (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Value | £5 |
| Width | 125 mm |
| Height | 65 mm |
| Security features | Clear window, raised print, iridescence, colour-changing ink, microtext, UV printing |
| Paper type | Polymer |
| Years of printing |
1838–present 2015–present (current design) |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Design | William Arrol |
| Design date | 2015 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Design | Forth Bridge |
| Design date | 2015 |
The Clydesdale Bank £5 note is a banknote of the pound sterling. It is the smallest denomination of banknote issued by the Clydesdale Bank. The current polymer note, first issued in 2015, bears an image of the engineer William Arrol on the obverse and an image of the Forth Bridge on the reverse. It is the first fully polymer banknote to go into circulation in the United Kingdom.
History
The Clydesdale Bank began issuing £5 notes in 1838, the same year as the bank's founding. Early banknotes were monochrome, and printed on one side only. The issuing of banknotes by Scottish banks was regulated by the Banknote (Scotland) Act 1845 until it was superseded by the Banking Act 2009.[1] Though strictly not legal tender in Scotland, Scottish banknotes are nevertheless legal currency and are generally accepted throughout the United Kingdom. Scottish banknotes are fully backed such that holders have the same level of protection as those holding genuine Bank of England notes.[2] The £5 note is currently the smallest denomination of banknote issued by the Clydesdale Bank.[3]
The "Famous Scots" issue of the £5 note featuring Scottish poet Robert Burns was introduced in 1971.[4] On the reverse are images of a field mouse and wild roses, inspired by two of Burns' poems.[5] A "World Heritage" series £5 note was introduced in 2009. This note features a portrait of biologist Alexander Fleming on the front, and an image of the World Heritage Site of St Kilda on the back.[6] In 2015 a new polymer note was introduced, featuring an image of the Forth Bridge on the reverse and a portrait of William Arrol, whose firm constructed the bridge, on the obverse.[7] This note is the first British banknote to be made entirely from polymer.[8]
Designs
| Note | First issued | Colour | Size | Design | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Famous Scots | 1971 | Blue | 135mm x 70mm | Front: Robert Burns; Back: Various images | |
| World Heritage | 2009 | Blue | 135mm x 70mm | Front: Alexander Fleming; Back: St Kilda | |
| Polymer | 2015 | Blue | 125mm x 65mm | Front: William Arrol; Back: Forth Bridge | |
Information taken from The Committee of Scottish Bankers website.[3][9][10]
References
- ↑ "Banknote History". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ↑ "Scottish and Northern Ireland Banknotes Factsheet" (PDF). Association of Commercial Banknote Issuers. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- 1 2 "Current Banknotes : Clydesdale Bank". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ↑ "The Clydesdale Bank's "Famous Scots" Series 1971–2007". Coin News. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ↑ "Banknote Design Features : Clydesdale Bank Famous Scots Series". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
- ↑ "Banknote Design Features : Clydesdale Bank World Heritage Series". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
- ↑ "Clydesdale Bank brings in plastic £5 notes". BBC News. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ↑ "Scottish £5 plastic note up for award". The Scotsman. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ↑ "Scottish Polymer Notes" (PDF). The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ↑ "Know Your Scottish Banknotes" (PDF). The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 17 June 2016.