2018-03-14 Wed

The Bank of England has issued a variety of designs since its establishment. From black and white unifaced notes to proposed polymer notes, British banknotes have come a long way. Today let’s see a 5 British Pounds Sterling Pictorial Series D note issued by Bank of England.

This series D was called as Pictorial Series as it features pictorial representations of famous British figures. The note featured in the image besides portrays HM Queen Elizabeth II in full state robes, with Bank of England logo: Britannia seated next to a pile of coins and a shield, holding a spear and a laurel or olive branch in a circle at bottom with Nike, winged goddess of victory, riding a chariot pulled by two horses in centre.

The reverse depicts Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852), with a background scene of the famous Battle of Salamanca. The Battle of Salamanca saw the Anglo-Portuguese army under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on 22 July 1812 during the Peninsular War.

This note which is signed by D.H.F. Somerset - Chief Cashier has a vertically repeated effigy of The Duke of Wellington as the watermark. With 11th of November 1971 being the first date of issue, this design was last issued in 1990 and from 29th of November 1991, this note ceased to be a legal tender.

Image Courtesy: World Banknotes.com