Lewes Pound

Transition Town Lewes introduced its local currency in 2008 as part of the broader Transition Network movement, which sought to build community resilience in anticipation of peak oil and economic disruption. The 2014 issue was part of an ongoing redesign cycle rather than a response to any crisis — the currency was never legal tender and operated entirely on voluntary merchant participation within the town.

The watermark is the primary security feature, a modest but deliberate choice for a community-printed note. Forgery of local currencies does occur; the Totnes Pound faced at least one documented counterfeiting incident, which likely informed how other Transition currencies approached their print specifications.