The Clydesdale Bank £20 note is a
sterling
Sterling may refer to:
Common meanings
* Sterling silver, a grade of silver
* Sterling (currency), the currency of the United Kingdom
** Pound sterling, the primary unit of that currency
Places United Kingdom
* Stirling, a Scottish city w ...
banknote. It is the third largest denomination of banknote issued by the
Clydesdale Bank. The current
polymer note
Polymer banknotes are banknotes made from a synthetic polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). Such notes incorporate many security features not available in paper banknotes, including the use of metameric inks. Polymer banknote ...
, first issued in 2020, bears a portrait of the Scottish king
Robert the Bruce on the obverse and an image of the islands of
St Kilda on the reverse.
History
The
Clydesdale Bank began issuing £20 notes in 1838, the same year as the bank's founding. Early banknotes were monochrome, and printed on one side only. The issuing of banknotes by Scottish banks was regulated by the
Banknote (Scotland) Act 1845 until it was superseded by the
Banking Act 2009
The Banking Act 2009 (c 1) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that entered into force in part on the 21 February 2009 in order, amongst other things, to replace the Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008. The Act makes provision fo ...
.
Though strictly not
legal tender in Scotland, Scottish banknotes are nevertheless legal currency and are generally accepted throughout the
United Kingdom. Scottish banknotes are fully backed such that holders have the same level of protection as those holding genuine
Bank of England notes.
The £20 note is currently the third largest denomination of banknote issued by the Clydesdale Bank.
The Famous Scots issue of the £20 note featuring the Scottish king
Robert the Bruce was introduced in 1971. On the reverse of this note are several images representing a statue of Robert the Bruce, the
Monymusk reliquary,
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
, and a
William Wallace monument. The note was updated in 2005 with the bank's new logo on the front, an image of the bank’s new Exchange building. A commemorative issue of the £20 note was produced in 1999 to celebrate Glasgow's designation as that year's UK City of Architecture and Design. This note has a portrait of the architrave
Alexander Thomson on the front and an image of
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
on the back alongside a representation of the dome of
Holmwood House. Another commemorative note was issued in 2006 to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the coronation of Robert the Bruce. This note has Robert the Bruce's coat of arms on the front and a vignette celebrating the anniversary on the back.
The World Heritage series £20 note was introduced in 2009. This note also features a portrait of Robert the Bruce on the front, and an image of the model industrial settlement of
New Lanark on the back.
On 27 February 2020, a new
polymer £20 note was introduced to replace the paper notes.
Designs
Information taken from The Committee of Scottish Bankers website.
References
External links
The Committee of Scottish Bankers website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clydesdale Bank 20 note
Banknotes of Scotland
Twenty-base-unit banknotes
Clydesdale Bank