New ten pound polymer bank notes have started entering circulation.
The plastic notes, made by Innovia, are the first with raised braille dots for the blind, and feature 19th Century novelist Jane Austen. The material uses Innovia’s ‘Guardian’ substrate and ‘Clarity C’ security film.
The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, said: “Our banknotes serve as repositories of the country’s collective memory, promoting awareness of the United Kingdom’s glorious history and highlighting the contributions of its greatest citizens. The new ten pound note celebrates Jane Austen’s work. Austen’s novels have a universal appeal and speak as powerfully today as they did when they were first published.”
The note contains sophisticated security features which make it very difficult to counterfeit. It is expected to last at least 2.5 times longer than the current paper notes – around five years – and stay in better condition during day-to-day use.
Victoria Cleland, the Bank’s Chief Cashier, said: “It is wonderful to see the inspirational author Jane Austen celebrated on the new ten pound, and even more poignant being launched during the 200th anniversary of her death. I am grateful to the cash industry for their support in bringing the cleaner, safer, stronger notes to the public.”
One billion notes have been printed, and will be sent to banks over the coming weeks.
A commemorative polymer five pound note to mark the turn of the millennium was the first polymer note in the UK, issued by Northern Bank of Northern Ireland in 2000.
The new ten pound note, featuring novelist Jane Austen