..Scotland, Bank of Scotland - 50 Pounds Polymer Bridge Series 2021

Scotland

(Alba)

Bank of Scotland Limited
(Established 17.07.1695, First bank to issue banknote in Scotland)
Currency : Pound Sterling (GBP)

 

This is the fourth polymer note issued since the polymer banknote series first introduced in 2016.

 

On the front it features: -

Portrait of Sir Walter Scott (b.1771-1832); 

Bank of Scotland Headquarters on The Mound;

Bank of Scotland Crest; 

Spark® denomination numeral "50"; 

Image of Four Thistles;

Holographic foil stripe featuring image of ‘Prosperity’ below the pediment of the Mound with a thistle motif in the background; 

Bank of Scotland name and logo

The design on the front is basically the same as the £20 polymer banknote issued in 2019. As expected, the new note features the portrait of Sir Walter Alva Scott (b.1771-1832), who was a Scottish historical novelist, poet, playwright, and historian. In the middle is the Bank of Scotland Headquarters on The Mound, a man-made slope situated in central Edinburgh which connects Edinburgh’s New and Old Towns. Ten tiny see-through windows are also incorporated on the design of the building, just like the £20 polymer banknote.

 

On the back, it retains the design of the Falkirk Wheel, which was also featured on the previous paper note of £50, first issued in the 2007 series. However, the design of the Falkirk Wheel is taken from a different angle and as such not the same. The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating boat lift connecting two canals. The two canals connected by the Falkirk are the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal. The Union Canal is about 11 meters higher than the Forth and Clyde Canal. This wheel was built in 1875 and is the only rotating boat lift, not only in Scotland, but in the world. The Falkirk Wheel is situated in central Scotland, about half an hour drive from Glasgow (northeast of Glasgow).

 

Underneath the wheel, is showing two horses pulling a canal barge. The background also shows two large kelpies, A kelpie is a shape of a horse and it said to be a shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend. Two of these 30-meter high horse-head sculptures are situated in Falkirk as a tourist attraction. It is also said that kelpies haunt rivers and streams in the shape of a horse. In the top left corner of the polymer note, it also features the poem Steam Barge, written by William Muir. The design of this note is the continuation of the bridge series, introduced since 2007.

The £50 banknote is not a common denomination of banknotes for the Bank of Scotland and this denomination was only first introduced in 1995, celebrating the tercentenary of Bank of Scotland 1695-1995. Traditionally this note is printed with green colour, however, for this new £50 it is printed in red. Should the bank decided to release a new £100 polymer note at a later date, we will expect this to have a new colour instead of red.

Whilst this note is dated 01.06.2020, it was introduced to the public on 01.07.2021. In addition to the normal release, the bank also packed together 750 sets of individual notes all with AA prefix and sold them for £100 each. Profits generated from the sales are all donated to charities. The note that I have posted here came from the presentation pack.

Signatures

Governor - Antonio Mota de Sousa Horta-Osorio
Treasurer - Philip Grant

Dimensions - 146mm x 77mm

 

Fifty Pounds (Polymer)

Sir Walter Alva Scott (b.1771-1832) Scottish historical novelist, poet, playwright, and historian, Bank of Scotland Headquarters on The Mound

Falkirk Wheel built in 1875, two horses pulling a canal barge, two large kelpies

 

 Presentation Cover Side 1

Inside cover

Presentation Cover Side2

Back Cover