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5 Pounds British Linen Bank
| Issuer | British Linen Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916-1933 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Pounds |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Incorporated by Royal Charter 1746 The British Linen Bank Promise to pay on demand to the Bearer FIVE POUNDS Sterling By order of the Court of Directors |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed entirely in blue and composed of dense, uniform guilloche lathe-work forming the background. At centre, a large circular medallion encloses a seated classical female figure — representing Britannia or a personification of commerce — resting against bales and with a sailing ship in the background, surrounded by an intricate floral rosette. The denomination 'FIVE' appears in plain lettering at the left and right margins within rectangular panels, with ornamental corner devices at all four corners. |
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| Comments |
The British Linen Bank — despite its name — had nothing to do with the linen trade by the twentieth century. It was chartered in 1746 to finance the Scottish linen industry but had long since evolved into a conventional commercial bank by the time this series was produced. The anachronistic name confused depositors and correspondents alike for the entirety of its independent existence.
Waterlow & Sons printed Scottish chartered bank notes throughout this period under competitive tender, and the British Linen Bank was one of several long-standing clients. The watermark security on this series was modest by contemporary standards — Scottish banks of the era generally lagged behind Bank of England practice on mechanical security features.