Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
5 Pounds Sterling
| Issuer | Bank of Scotland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1825 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Pounds Sterling |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Finely engraved note by W.H. Lizars of Edinburgh, with 'BANK OF SCOTLAND' in bold lettering across the top within an ornate frame of guilloche borders, rosettes, and corner medallions. A central vignette presents the Bank of Scotland arms flanked by two classical allegorical female figures, with the denomination 'FIVE POUNDS' repeated on either side; two additional standing figures occupy the lateral margins. The promise-to-pay text in a dark panel reads 'The Governor and Company of the BANK OF SCOTLAND, constituted by Act of Parliament, promise to pay here on demand to George Sandy or the Bearer FIVE POUNDS STERLING,' with the place of issue given as Edinburgh and the note overprinted SPECIMEN. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANK OF SCOTLAND FIVE POUNDS EDINBURGH The Governor and Company of the BANK OF SCOTLAND, constituted by Act of Parliament, promise to pay here on demand to George Sandy or the Bearer FIVE POUNDS STERLING By Order of the Court of Directors Acc' Treas' SPECIMEN Engraved & Printed by W.H. Lizars, Edinburgh |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The Bank of Scotland's £5 notes of the 1820s occupied an awkward regulatory moment: the English banking lobby was pushing hard for legislation that would have banned Scottish banks from issuing notes below £5, framing it as a currency stability measure. The campaign nearly succeeded in 1826. Walter Scott wrote his "Letters of Malachi Malagrowther" specifically to oppose it, and the Scottish banks survived the fight with their note-issuing rights intact.
William Home Lizars ran one of Edinburgh's most accomplished engraving workshops — better known today for his natural history plates than his banknote work. His output for Scottish issuers in this period is typographically tight and competent, though not innovative.