Northern Ireland
Ulster Bank Limited
Currency : Pound Sterling (GBP)
Ulster Bank Limited
Currency : Pound Sterling (GBP)
These two new polymer notes were released on 27/02/2019 (together with those issued by the Danske Bank and Bank of Ireland). These notes are both dated 12/04/2018. Unlike those issued by the Bank of Ireland and Danske Bank, these two notes are printed in vertical format front and back. However this is not the first time a vertical note has been issued in Northern Ireland despite it has been reported by so many. In 1999, the Northern Bank issued a £5 pounds polymer note which is also in vertical format. Only 20 years ago and people have forgotten all about this. In fact, the Northern Bank note was the first polymer note ever issued in the United Kingdom.
Also unlike those polymer notes issued by the Bank of Ireland and Danske Bank, these two notes are both dated 2018, and not 2017.
The theme for these new polymer series is "Living in Nature". This is the first time since 1966 that Ulster Bank has issued a completely new design of banknotes for general circulation (excluding the 2006 £5 George Best commemorative note) and is also the first time printed on Polymer substrates.
These new series of notes are smaller in sizes as compared to the previous paper notes series.
Five Pounds
 |
| Dated 2018, AA Prefix |
 |
| Reverse |
Back - migration of 21 Brent geese, featuring the importance of the sea, a small fishing trawler, family members strolling along the beach, king scallop from Strangford Lough.
Size: *66mm x 126mm (previous paper note *70mm x 137mm)
* give or take 0.5mm to 1mm
Ten Pounds
 |
| Dated 2018 |
 |
| Reverse |
 |
| Dated 2018 |
 |
| Reverse |
Back - Irish hare (sitting), featuring the growth of agriculture and heritage, a man with two horses ploughing field followed by another man planting seeds, colourful farmland, Ulster Grade potato which was developed in County Antrim.
*Size: 70mm x 132mm (previous paper note 76mm x 143mm)
The announcement of these two new polymer notes was made on 06.06.2018.
Signature: Ross Maxwell McEwan, Chief Executive Officer, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. It should be noted that his signature also appears on the current The Royal Bank of Scotland's banknotes, both paper and polymer. I do not believe there are many people that have their signature appearing on two different banks simultaneously.
The first prefix of this new polymer series is AA. However it is not sure if any replacement notes have been printed as none has been sighted yet.
Footnote⇴
In my opinion, the designs for these two notes are very impressive. The reverse sides on each note are just like a snapshot of a holiday trip to the beach for the £5 and like a work of art for the £10 note. Having the see-through window to illustrate both Strangford Lough and Lough Erne is also an excellent idea too. Strangford Lough is a large sea loch, whilst Lough Erne is the name of two connected lakes located in County Fermanagh (south eastern of Northern Ireland).
Many online sellers had made references to these two notes as the first vertical format notes ever issued in Northern Ireland. As far as I am concerned, this is incorrect. It was just some 20 years ago that the Northern Bank (now Trading As Danske Bank) in Northern Ireland issued a first £5 polymer circulating note dated 08.10.1999 with a MM prefix which is also in vertical format both front and back. This note was issued in 1999 to celebrate the millennium year and later issued the same note with special prefix of Y2K in a special folder dated 01.01.2000 (limited to 50,000 sets) for commemorative purposes. This was also the first polymer note issued in the United Kingdom too. I suppose some of these sellers may not have even been born then when the Northern Bank issued the £5 note or perhaps just too young to remember this or to tell the differences.
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