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50 Pounds

Issuer Northern Bank Limited
Year 1918
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Currency Pound sterling (1694-date)
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Obverse description The obverse carries the bold letterpress denomination FIFTY POUNDS at centre, overprinted in large intaglio letters across a vignette of a sailing vessel at sea, with the bank title NORTHERN BANK LIMITED across the top and the former title NORTHERN BANKING COMPANY LIMITED immediately below. Ornate guilloche rosettes bearing the word FIFTY in letterpress flank both left and right margins, while the upper border is filled with a continuous typeset legend of Irish town names extending from Armagh to Whitehead. The note bears a manuscript date of 1918 alongside a single manuscript signature and the imprint Northern Banking Company Limited at lower centre.
Obverse lettering NORTHERN BANK LIMITED
FORMERLY
NORTHERN BANKING COMPANY LIMITED
ESTABLISHED 1824
FIFTY POUNDS
BELFAST
DUBLIN
BALLYMONEY
AUTHNACLOY - MILFORD
ARMAGH BAILIEBOROUGH BALLYCLARE BANBRIDGE BERAGH BRAY
CARRICKFERGUS CARRICK-ON-SHANNON CASTLEWELLAN CLAUDY CLONES COLERAINE COMBER CUSHENDALL DOWNPATRICK DROMORE DRUMSHAMBO
DUNGIVEN DUNLOE ELPHIN FINTONA FIVEMILETOWN HILLSBOROUGH HOLYWOOD IRVINESTOWN KEADY KILKEEL KILREA KINGSCOURT LARNE LISNIVADY LISBURN LONDONDERRY
LURGAN MAGHERAFELT MOHILL NEWRY NEWTOWN STEWART OMAGH PETTIGO RANDALSTOWN RATHFRILAND SHERCOCK SKERRIES STROKESTOWN VIRGINIA WHITEHEAD
KELLS ARMOY BOYLE NEWCASTLE OMACH DUNGANNON PORTAFEIRY
FIFTY
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Comments

Northern Bank Limited was a Belfast-based commercial bank that retained note-issuing rights through the transition to partition and beyond — but this 1918 note predates all of that, placing it in the last years of the Home Rule crisis, wartime price inflation, and the collapse of ordinary commercial confidence across Ireland. A £50 denomination in 1918 was not a note for everyday use; it circulated between merchants, solicitors, and clearing houses, rarely seen by wage earners.

Northern Bank printed locally in Belfast rather than contracting out to one of the London or Edinburgh trade printers, which was unusual for a denomination of this size at this period. That decision keeps the production quality distinctly regional.

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