Value £5 Height 70 mm | Width 135 mm Paper type Cotton | |
Security features Raised print, metallic thread, watermark, microlettering, UV feature Years of printing 1727–present
1987–present (current design) | ||
The Royal Bank of Scotland £5 note, also known as a fiver, is a banknote of the pound sterling. It is the second smallest denomination of banknote issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland. The current polymer note, first issued in 2016, bears an image of the author Nan Shepherd on the obverse and a pair of mackerel on the reverse.
Contents
History
The Royal Bank of Scotland began issuing £5 notes in 1727, 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 The issuing of banknotes by Scottish banks was regulated by the Banknote (Scotland) Act 1845 until it was superseded by the Banking Act 2009. 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. The £5 note is currently the second smallest denomination of banknote issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland.
The previous Ilay series of banknotes was first issued in 1987. These banknotes feature a portrait of Lord Ilay, first governor of the bank, on the front. Lord Ilay's image is also used as a watermark on the notes. Other design elements include the bank's coat of arms and logo, the facade of the bank's headquarters in Edinburgh, and a pattern representing the ceiling of the headquarters' banking hall. All of the Ilay series notes feature a castle on the back. On the reverse of the £5 note is an image of Culzean Castle. Other versions of the £5 note have been produced since the introduction of the Ilay series to commemorate certain events, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee, the 250th anniversary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the 400th anniversary of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and a celebration of the career of the golfer Jack Nicklaus.
In 2015 it was announced that a new polymer £5 note will be issued in the second half of 2016. The new design was unveiled in April 2016, and features a portrait of author Nan Shepherd on the front. Alongside the portrait is an image of the Cairngorms, as well as a quote from Shepherd's book The Living Mountain. The rear of the note bears an image of two mackerel alongside an excerpt from Sorley MacLean's poem The Choice.
Designs
Information taken from The Committee of Scottish Bankers website.