Five pounds
(United Kingdom)
Value£5 sterling
Width125 mm
Height65 mm
Security featuresClear window, raised print, iridescence, colour-changing ink, microtext, UV printing, see-through registration device (paper issue)
Material usedPolymer
Years of printing1838–present
2015–present (current design)
Obverse
DesignWilliam Arrol
Design date2015
Reverse
DesignForth Bridge
Design date2015

The Clydesdale Bank £5 note, also known informally as a fiver, is a sterling banknote. It is the smallest denomination of banknote issued by the Clydesdale Bank. The current polymer note, first issued in 2015, bears an image of 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 The issuing of banknotes by Scottish banks was regulated by the Banknote (Scotland) Act 1845 until it was superseded by the Banking Act 2009.[1] Though not strictly legal tender in Scotland, Scottish banknotes are nevertheless legal currency and are generally accepted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]

Scottish banknotes are not withdrawn in the same manner as Bank of England notes, and therefore several different versions of the Clydesdale five pound note may be encountered,[4] although the Committee of Scottish Bankers encouraged the public to spend or exchange older, non-polymer five pound notes before 1 March 2018.[5] The "Famous Scots" issue of the £5 note featuring Scottish poet Robert Burns was introduced in 1971.[6] On the reverse are images of a field mouse and wild roses, inspired by two of Burns' poems.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] This note was the first British banknote to be made entirely from polymer.[10]

Designs

Note First issued Colour Size Design Additional information
Famous Scots1971Blue135 × 70 mmFront: Robert Burns; Back: Various images
World Heritage2009Blue135 × 70 mmFront: Alexander Fleming; Back: St Kilda
Polymer2015Blue125 × 65 mmFront: William Arrol; Back: Forth Bridge

Information taken from The Committee of Scottish Bankers website.[3][11][12]

References

  1. ↑ "Banknote History". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "Scottish and Northern Ireland Banknotes Factsheet" (PDF). Association of Commercial Banknote Issuers. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Current Banknotes : Clydesdale Bank". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "What to do with Scottish Paper £5 & £10 notes". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  5. ↑ "Four-week deadline to use Scottish paper money". BBC News. 2018-02-05. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  6. ↑ "The Clydesdale Bank's "Famous Scots" Series 1971–2007". Coin News. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Banknote Design Features : Clydesdale Bank Famous Scots Series". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Banknote Design Features : Clydesdale Bank World Heritage Series". The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Clydesdale Bank brings in plastic £5 notes". BBC News. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Scottish £5 plastic note up for award". The Scotsman. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Scottish Polymer Notes" (PDF). The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  12. ↑ "Know Your Scottish Banknotes" (PDF). The Committee of Scottish Bankers. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
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