Pounds Sterling is the currency of the United Kingdom. The Bank of England is the central financial institution responsible for issuing money in England. Regional banks are responsible for issuing bank notes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The table below lists some information regarding the design of the current legal tender banknotes issued by the Bank of England. All four notes were originally designed by Roger Withington.
Money Value |
Predominant colour(s) |
Size | Date legal tender | Shape feature (to aid the partially sighted) |
Who or what's on the back? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
£5 | Turquoise | 135mm x 70mm | 21st May 2002 | Blue circle | Elizabeth Fry 1780-1845 - Prison reformer A family meeting in a prison |
£10 | Orange & Brown | 142mm x 75mm | 7th November 2000 | Orange diamond | Charles Darwin 1809-1882 - Naturalist A Hummingbird the HMS Beagle a magnifying glass studying flowers |
£20 | Purple | 149mm x 80mm | 22nd June 1999 | Purple square | Sir Edward Elgar 1857-1934 - Composer Worcester Cathedral St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. |
£50 | Red | 156mm x 85mm | 20th April 1994 | Red triangle | Sir John Houblon 1632-1711 - 1st Governor of the Bank of England A view of John Houblon's house on Threadneedle Street The Bank Gatekeeper The dates 1694-1994 celebrating 400 years of the Bank of England |
All 4 of the above banknotes have the following security features:
The more recently issued £5, £10, and £20 pound notes also have the following security features:
Listed below are descriptions of some of the bank notes that have been issued through history by the Bank of England. None of them are currently legal tender however they can usually be exchanged in banks for legal money of equal value.
Monetary Value |
Predominant colour(s) |
Size | Date last issued | Date Ceased to be legal tender |
Who or what was on the back? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
£1 | Green | 135mm x 67mm | 31st Dec 1984 | 11th Mar 1988 | Isaac Newton |
£2 | White (one sided) | approx. 200mm x 113mm | 1821 | 1821 | nothing - blank |
£5 | Turquoise | 135mm x 70mm | 2002 | 21st Nov 2003 | George Stephenson and his train The Rocket |
£5 | Blue | 145mm x 78mm | 1990 | 29th Nov 1991 | Duke of Wellington |
£10 | Orange | 142mm x 75mm | 2000 | 31st July 2003 | Charles Dickens |
£10 | Brown | 151mm x 85mm | 1992 | 20th May 1994 | Florence Nightingale |
£15 | White (one sided) | approx. 203mm x 127mm | 1822 | 1822 | nothing - blank |
£20 | Purple | 149mm x 80mm | 2000 | 28th Feb 2001 | Michael Faraday |
£20 | Purple | 160mm x 90mm | 1991 | 19th Mar 1993 | William Shakespeare |
£25 | White (one sided) | approx. 203mm x 127mm | 1822 | 1822 | nothing - blank |
£30 | White (one sided) | approx. 211mm x 130mm | 1852 | 1852 | nothing - blank |
£40 | White (one sided) | approx. 211mm x 130mm | 1851 | 1851 | nothing - blank |
£50 | Brown | 169mm x 95mm | 1996 | 20th Sep 1996 | Christopher Wren |
£60, £70, £80, £90 | White (one sided) | approx. 195mm x 120mm | 1803 | 1803 | nothing - blank |
£100 | White (one sided) | approx. 211mm x 133mm | 1943 | 16th Apr 1945 | nothing - blank |
£200 | White (one sided) | approx. 211mm x 133mm | 1928 | 16th Apr 1945 | nothing - blank |
£300 | White (one sided) | approx. 211mm x 130mm | 1885 | 1885 | nothing - blank |
£400 | White (one sided) | approx. 195mm x 120mm | 1803 | 1803 | nothing - blank |
£500, £1000 | White (one sided) | approx. 211mm x 133mm | 1943 | 16th Apr 1945 | nothing - blank |