New King Charles III Banknotes

The Bank of England's announcement of the King Charles III banknotes, slated for release in June 2024, marks a significant shift in the United Kingdom's currency design. Featuring denominations of £5, £10, £20, and £50, these banknotes symbolise a historic transformation in British monetary representation. Notably, the inclusion of King Charles III's portrait within transparent security windows adds an innovative layer of protection, enhancing the banknotes' security features.

Furthermore, the decision to retain the current currency's overall design ensures continuity and familiarity for consumers, facilitating a smooth transition to the new banknotes. Importantly, Queen Elizabeth II banknotes will remain legal tender alongside the King Charles III currency, eliminating the need for immediate exchange and minimizing potential disruption. This strategic move by the Bank of England underscores a commitment to sustainability and cost-effectiveness, as it aims to mitigate the environmental and financial impact of the currency change.

Banknotes Image used with attribution to The Bank of England. 

As of the 30th of September, paper £20 and £50 notes were no longer legal tender, with their Polymer alternative becoming the only legal tender for that denomination.

England:

• The Bank of England withdrew legal tender status of the paper £20 and £50 notes from 30th September 2022.

Scotland:

• Paper £20 and £50 notes issued by Clydesdale Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Bank of Scotland were withdrawn on 30th September 2022.

Northern Ireland:

• Paper £20 notes issued by Bank of Ireland, Danske Bank, and Ulster Bank were withdrawn on 30th September 2022.
• First Trust banknotes ceased to be legal currency after midnight on 30 June 2022.
• A further announcement on paper £50 notes issued by Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank will be made later.

An update for the Cashmaster device was issued in August, which disabled the paper notes by default on all new devices.

The £100 Scottish polymer banknote was released into circulation in May 2022. 

The choice of design for the Bank of Scotland £100 polymer note continues the theme of the 'the bridge series'. The new note features another famous Scot, Dr Flora Murray, CBE (1869-1923), the Scottish medical pioneer, and suffragette.

In addition to the image of Dr Murray, the front of the £100 note portrays the Scottish novelist and poet, Sir Walter Scott, alongside an image of The Mound in Edinburgh.

The note has important security features which include an anti-counterfeit transparent window within The Mound and a transparent vertical stripe on the front of the note.

The new £50 English polymer banknote was released on June 23rd, 2021, after a virtual public unveiling took place and eventually replaced our current £50 paper notes.

The choice of design for the Bank of England £50 polymer note was created in celebration of the field of science and featured Alan Turing, famous for his pioneering work in science and theoretical underpinnings for the modern computer. He was among the 12 finalists selected by public voting from a list of 989 eligible characters before being chosen as the winner by the Governor of the Bank of England.

Online Training Resources

Counting Polymer Notes