New 20 Note To Feature Rod Hull and Emu

[Si Hunt]

No, not really. Alas, that would be too revolutionary for the Bank of England and instead some dull economist is on there. But there IS a new 20 note out. It's appearing today, at a cash machine near you!

The UK's most common banknote is set for a relaunch as newly-designed 20 notes hit the streets for the first time since 1999.

The Bank of England's new note will bear the image of 18th century economist Adam Smith, renowned for his Wealth of Nations analysis on free markets. He is the first Scot to feature on a banknote.

Customers at the cash machine will find the new 20 in a brighter purple colour to make it more recognisable, although it will be the same size as its predecessor.

The new note will also feature a larger silver hologram and metallic thread recognition strip to combat fraudsters as well as a new security colour tag which shows up under ultra-violet light.

Around 350,000 forged 20 notes were discovered last year.

The Bank of England's chief cashier Andrew Bailey said: "We do not have a serious counterfeiting problem in this country, but because it is the most common note it is the one that has proved most attractive to counterfeiters."

There are 1.3 billion 20 notes currently in circulation designed with a portrait of composer Sir Edward Elgar, which will gradually be phased out over the next two years.

According to UK payments association APACS, the 20 note accounted for 66% of all notes dispensed by British cash machines in the last quarter of 2006.

Spokeswoman Sandra Quinn said: "Most of us are likely to see one of these new 20 notes at a cash machine as it's where many of these new notes will first be dispensed. We are all still carrying around quite a bit of cash because, despite our continuing love affair with our cards, cash remains first choice for small value payments such as for a pint of milk or our morning paper."

The 10 note is the second commonest note, with 550 million in circulation, and carries the picture of Charles Darwin, famous for his theory of natural selection. The 5 note was the last note to be relaunched in May 2002, featuring a picture of prison reformer Elizabeth Fry.



Some paper with the Queen on - she gets everywhere these days.

So who would YOU put on there? And have you "had" one of these purple wonders yet? And isn't it worrying how many forged notes there are still out there? And isn't it about time they got Ruth Madoc to do a Doctor Who? She's the sort.

Si.

[Raston]

Adam Smith is the right person.

The most important figure of the enlightenment, and one of the most important figures in our history it is right he gets the credit he deserves.

Or is it just part of the new FIFE agenda (See Labour and Lib Dem Leaders)

[Pip Madeley]

I'm glad you started this thread, I wouldn't have known otherwise!

I'd be worried to get one of these 20 notes actually, I wouldn't be sure if it was genuine or not...

[Si Hunt]

The most important figure of the enlightenment

What's "Enlightenment" got to do with it? If they were mining that for ideas, Lynda Baron would have been a more iconic choice. In an absolutely huge hat.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

There should be notes in the denominations 1-10, with the various Doctors on each note. So Hartnell would be on the 1 pound note, Pertwee on the 3, etc. That would be useful.

[Si Hunt]

What about Tennant and that other one though?

I say we need Anneke Wills on a coin!

Si.

[Wayne]

I'm glad you started this thread, I wouldn't have known otherwise!

Ditto!
Do they still print 50 notes? I haven't even seen one for years!
Mind you, since you can't spend them anywhere, there's not much point.

[Pip Madeley]

I once held ten grand's worth of 50 notes in my hands one day. I actually threw it all over myself.

I got told off after, and had to pick it all up.

[Si Hunt]

We used to take them at Homebase. They are used by flash people and builders. Why don't they just scrap notes and coins? It'd stop all this VAT fiddling for a start. And stupid people holding you up at checkouts with their copper collection.

Si.

[Raston]

Ditto!
Do they still print 50 notes? I haven't even seen one for years!
Mind you, since you can't spend them anywhere, there's not much point.

They do.

If you think spending a 50 is hard just you try spending a 100 note! If i ever owe a friend money for something (like if they've bough concert tickets or something) i always make a point of giving them silly notes like 50's or 100's!

[Si Hunt]

Why, just to be flash?

I could lay my hands on 50 notes aplenty if I wanted, but what'd be the point other than to show off?

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Oh to be a rich Scottish Tory toff

[Wayne]

If you think spending a 50 is hard just you try spending a 100 note!

I've honestly never even seen one! In fact, i wasn't even really aware that they existed at all!

[Si Hunt]

No, Andrew just wanted to look rich by jumping in with mentions of 100 notes! In truth it means nothing these days, you could lay your hands on a heap of notes after a 5 minute chat with a loans company or even your own bank.

Si.

[Ralph]

If i ever owe a friend money for something (like if they've bough concert tickets or something) i always make a point of giving them silly notes like 50's or 100's!

If we ever meet up and you've run short you won't mind if I give a polite refusal?

[Raston]

No, Andrew just wanted to look rich by jumping in with mentions of 100 notes! In truth it means nothing these days, you could lay your hands on a heap of notes after a 5 minute chat with a loans company or even your own bank.

Si.

Eh no Si- 100 notes are a Scottish thing i think its only RBS that does them these days, i doubt you see many down your way but you do see one on occasion up here.

and of course there are the 1 notes as well.

[Raston]

Why, just to be flash?

I could lay my hands on 50 notes aplenty if I wanted, but what'd be the point other than to show off?

Si.

Actually si i was just making a joke, expanding on Wayne's point about 50's being hard to use, and 100's being rarer so would be even harder-not that i've ever used 100's but when i worked in a bank they did crop up more often than you'd have suspected.

As for owing someone 50 and deliberatly going into the bank for a 50 note-its not to look flash, its a wee joke because you know he can't spend it.


I think you just read my posts looking for an excuse to bitch sometimes. You need to lighten up a little. Both Wayne and Ralph noticed that it was a lighthearted post, and i really see no reason for you to be so downright rude in response.

[Milky Tears]

Eh no Si- 100 notes are a Scottish thing i think its only RBS that does them these days, i doubt you see many down your way but you do see one on occasion up here.

and of course there are the 1 notes as well.

My bedroom wall is plastered with 100 notes. I've got far too many of them.

[Dirk Gently]

My bedroom wall is plastered with 100 notes.

And Milky Tears...& Popcorn!

[Larry]

The Bank of England's new note will bear the image of 18th century economist Adam Smith, renowned for his Wealth of Nations analysis on free markets. He is the first Scot to feature on a banknote.

they might as well put Rod Hull and Emu, on it because I very much doubt any one will of heard of this Adam Smith though you have to ask your self of what sad old git decided to chose him with all the historical figures he could of chosen.

[Si Hunt]

Hear here! They should have picked Dolly, Bob Dylan or Anneka Rice!

Si.

[Lissa]

I think they should put a mirror on banknotes instead of a famous ex-person's face. Then we can all enjoy a little bit of fame.

Except the new five hundred pound note - that would have to have Ian Levine on it.

[Simon R]

You can get those awful photocopied fake notes on ebay and at dodgy car-boots. What's the point of those?

[Captain Tancredi]

Just looked Smith up briefly in Wikipedia and I can't say I'm impressed- for the Bank of England to endorse free-market economics and the apostle of enlightened self-interest is a bit cynical for me. It also gives us a fairly dull set of personalities on the notes and, for the first time since we started commemorating famous people on the notes, nobody connected with the arts. Since decimalisation, we've had the following:

5 Wellington, Stephenson, Elizabeth Fry
10 Florence Nightingale, Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin
20 Shakespeare, Michael Faraday, Sir Edward Elgar, Adam Smith

So where are Henry Purcell, J M W Turner, George Eliot, John Milton, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, the Brontes, John Constable or Ralph Vaughan Williams? The current bunch seems pretty dull and not a group that people will identify with-contrast that with Northern Ireland where one of the banks issued a George Best note last year which garnered a lot of interest, so perhaps we ought to have a Bobby Moore note.

Might also be a nice gesture if one of the Scottish banks reciprocated the gesture and put an Englishman on one of their notes (does Henry Morton Stanley (Welsh) appear on the Livingstone one that one of them did a while back?). Suitable candidates might be Edward I, the Duke of Cumberland or Paul Gascoigne circa 1996...

[Milky Tears]

I agree with Raston for the first time ever.