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5 Pounds British Linen Bank
| Issuer | British Linen Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 1907-1915 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | P#147 |
| Obverse description | The note is printed in blue on white paper with an elaborate border of fine guilloche work. At upper centre, the Royal Arms vignette is flanked by the word FIVE repeated in decorative panels at left and right; to the left margin, three oval medallions arranged vertically contain allegorical figures within intricate lathe-work frames. The promise-to-pay text and denomination FIVE POUNDS Sterling are set in bold letterpress below the arms, with the place and date of issue handwritten, and signature lines for the cashier and manager at foot. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely unprinted, presenting a plain white paper surface with no design, text, or ornamentation. |
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| Comments |
The British Linen Bank — despite the name — had nothing to do with the linen trade by the time this note circulated. It was chartered in 1746 ostensibly to finance the Scottish linen industry, but had functioned as a straightforward commercial bank for well over a century by 1907. The name survived purely as institutional identity.
Waterlow & Sons held the printing contract for much of the Bank's note production during this period. The series ran across nearly a decade, meaning examples can turn up with signatures spanning multiple cashier appointments — a useful dating clue when no day-date is visible.