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5 Pounds Sterling 2016, Kingdom of Great Britain

no number in katalog -
Years of issue: 04.10.2016
Edition:
Signatures: Governor: Mr. António Horta-Osório, Treasurer: Mr. Philip Grant
Serie: Scotland
Specimen of: 25.03.2016
Material: Polymer
Size (mm): 125 x 65
Printer: De la Rue currency,Gateshead

* All pictures marked magnify are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.

** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.

5 Pounds Sterling 2016

Description

Watermark:

5 Pounds 2016

Transparent window on banknote - the wing of the Bank's headquarters in Edinburgh, on Mound Hill.

Also there is a dark window - in it, when you turn the banknote is denomination 5 and cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium), which is already for 500 years is (this is debatable, that exactly this kind of thistle) the Scottish logo.

Avers:

5 Pounds Sterling 2016

Walter Scott

The engraving on banknote is made after this portrait of Sir Walter Scott by Scottish painter Sir Henry Raeburn, 1822. Oil on canvas. Today is in Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Second floor, Gallery 7. Was purchased from private collection with assistance from the Art Fund in 1935.

On right side is Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet, FRSE (15 August 1771 - 21 September 1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet.

Scott was the first English-language author to have a truly international career in his lifetime, with many contemporary readers in Europe, Australia, and North America. His novels and poetry are still read, and many of his works remain classics of both English-language literature and of Scottish literature. Famous titles include Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, The Lady of the Lake, Waverley, The Heart of Midlothian and The Bride of Lammermoor.

Although primarily remembered for his extensive literary works and his political engagement, Scott was an advocate, judge and legal administrator by profession, and throughout his career combined his writing and editing work with his daily occupation as Clerk of Session and Sheriff-Depute of Selkirkshire.

A prominent member of the Tory establishment in Edinburgh, Scott was an active member of the Highland Society and served a long term as President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1820-1832).

His portrait on banknote is in recognition of Scott's defense of the Scottish £1 note, under threat from the Westminster Parliament in 1826. Writing a series of public letters under the pseudonym "Malachi Malagrowther", Scott successfully led the campaign against currency reform in Scotland and the Scots were allowed to keep their pound notes.

Bank of ScotlandOn left side (and centered) is the image of the Bank of Scotland’s head office on The Mound in Edinburgh.

This building was made by Scottish architect David Bryce in 1864-1871.

David Bryce (1803-1876) was a Scottish architect. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at the Royal High School and joined the office of architect William Burn in 1825, aged 22. By 1841, Bryce had risen to be Burn's partner. Burn and Bryce formally dissolved their partnership in 1845, with disputes over the building of St Mary's Church, Dalkeith, Midlothian, for the Duke of Buccleuch (a factor in the split).

With commissions for over 230 buildings during his career, Bryce is best known for perfecting the Scottish Baronial style, with which he pioneered the development of large and loosely planned country houses, for example Craigends House in Renfrewshire. His designs drew inspiration from 16th century Scottish architecture, including crow-stepped gables, turrets and carved doorways.

In his banks and public buildings, he preferred to use Italianate classical styles similar to those of Charles Barry - his design for Fettes College, Edinburgh was one of the first to revive the French château style.

He is buried in the New Calton Cemetery in Edinburgh, beside his nephew, John Bryce, also an architect. (Academic Wikipedia)

Above the Bank's building is Cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium), which already for 500 years (this is debatable, that exactly this kind of thistle) is the Scottish logo.

coatThe coat of arms of the Bank of Scotland is in lower left corner.

BANK OF SCOTLAND, Governor and Company of.

"Azur a Sanct Andrew's cross argent betwixt four bezants. On a suteable helmet mantled azur, doubling argent and wreath of their colours is sett for their crest a Cornu-copia diffuseing money or, supported by two women, she on the dexter representing Abundance holding in her hand a Cornu-copia as the former, and that on the sinister representing Justice and holding in her hand a balance. The Motto in Escroll above, "Tanto uberior" ("Much richer").

Devise ("under which their notesdo circulat") being "Scotia", represented by a Lady holding in her right hand a Cornu-copia pouring out money, and in her left a thistle with these words over it, "Tanto uberior" ("Much richer").

[Granted ist March 1701, and recorded in Lyon Register 20th February

1849. The supporters are habited in green over a white underskirt].

Denominations in numerals are in top left and lower right corners, also centered, on background.

Revers:

5 Pounds Sterling 2016

Brig o' Doon

The Brig o' Doon.

The Brig o' Doon, sometimes called the Auld Brig or Old Bridge of Doon is a late medieval bridge in Ayrshire, Scotland. It is a Category A structure.

The bridge is thought to have been built in the early fifteenth century. According to John R. Hume, the bridge was built by James Kennedy, who died in 1465, but the first recorded mention is in 1512. The bridge was described as "ruinous" in 1593.

It is located near Alloway and crosses the River Doon. It is a single arched bridge, with a steeply humped span of 72 feet (22 meters) and a rise of 26 ft. (7.9 meters). It has been repaired many times, most recently in 1978, and many parts of the stonework do not match.

The B7024 public road is carried over the River Doon. New Bridge of Doon, a single-arch stone bridge built downstream of the old one in 1816 to cope with increasing traffic. The old bridge was sold to the builders of the new bridge as a quarry for material, and money was raised to purchase the old bridge back, but the trustees of the new bridge decided to quarry somewhere else.

The line of the cobbles in the roadway is cranked, due to the belief that this pattern would stop witches from crossing.

The bridge became famous after the final verse of the Robert Burn's poem "Tam o'Shanter".

In this scene Tam is on horseback and is being chased by Nannie the witch. He is just able to escape her by crossing the bridge (over a running stream), narrowly avoiding her attack as she is only able to grab the horse's tail which comes away in her hands:

"Now, do thy speedy-utmost, Meg, And win the key-stone o' the brig;

There, at them thou thy tail may toss, A running stream they dare na cross.

But ere the keystane she could make, The fient a tail she had to shake!"

More recently, the bridge gave its name to Learner and Loewe’s Broadway musical Brigadoon, made into a successful film in 1954.

Robert Burns statue

Centered is Robert Burns statue in Dumfries.

In May 1877 the town council of Dumfries adopted a proposal to erect a statue to Robert Burns, the town's most illustrious inhabitant. A site was chosen in Church Place, at the junction of the High Street, Castle Street and Buccleuch Street and the local historian William McDowall was appointed secretary of a committee formed to progress the project.

The committee approved a model for the statue proposed by the artist Amelia Paton Hill. She had exhibited portrait busts, animal figures and genre groups at the Royal Academy, and all these elements are to be found in her statue of Burns, which is probably her best known work.

The statue was carved in Carrara by Italian craftsmen working to Amelia Hill's model. It was unveiled by the Earl of Rosebery on 6th April 1882. In the century since it has been moved on several occasions due to road improvements in the vicinity. (Scotland's Bard Memorials)

On right side and centered is, again, the Bank of Scotland’s head office on The Mound in Edinburgh.

In lower right corner is, again, stylized Cotton thistle.

Denominations in numerals are in top left and lower right corners, also centered, on background. In words vertically, on left side.

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