1 Pound Sterling 2013. 200th anniversary of Tomas de la Rue first commercial venture, Guernsey
in Banknotes Book | Number: GU37 |
Years of issue: | 04.07.2013 |
Edition: | 300 000 |
Signatures: | States Treasurer: Mr. Bethan Haines |
Serie: | No Serie |
Specimen of: | 2013 |
Material: | Cotton fiber |
Size (mm): | 129 x 65 |
Printer: | TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London |
* All pictures marked 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.

Description
Watermark:
Seal of Guernsey (stated in banknote catalog).
Personally, I did not see the seal, but - maybe, I did not notice it, among many strokes.
Avers:
The panel with Guernsey's coat of arms or emblem in the middle.
The coat of arms of Guernsey is the official symbol of the Channel Island of Guernsey. It is a red shield with three gold lions (historically described as leopards) passant guardant surmounted by a small branch of leaves. It is very similar to the arms of Normandy, Jersey and England.
Centered, behind the denomination and lower right are the acanthus leaves.
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.
The decoration is made by analogy with the herbaceous plant of acanthus acanthus family, native to the Mediterranean. The shape of its leaves, with a few sharp edges, resembling a bear's paw, was the basis for the drawing.
Acanthus often represents life and immortality.
The Market Square. From: "Historical and Topographical Description of the Channel Islands" by Robert Mudie, 1840.
Robert Mudie (1777-1842) was a newspaper editor and author.
In the center of the engraving is the building, which bears the year - 1822. This is the city market building - the first project of Bailiff of Guernsey Sir Daniel de Lisle Brock, who financed it thanks to his "experimental Guernsey" (please read the description of reverse).
Denominations in numerals are centered and in lower right corner. In words on right side.
Revers:
Centered is the painting - View at Rue de la Fontaine, St. Peter Port, Guernsey. Illustration to the article by Guernsey poet George Métivier, who was born on this street, in "Elizabeth College Magazine", issued in 1842. The illustration is of a painting depicting a view looking towards Fountain Street and the Town Church in 1799, the notoriously narrow part being at the end.
On banknote - Thomas de la Rue and his first commercial venture, publication "Le Miroir Politique", to which anniversary was issued this banknote.
Thomas De La Rue was born in Guernsey on 24 March 1793. In 1803 he was apprenticed to a master-printer in St. Peter Port, and a decade later, in 1813, he launched his own publication "Le Miroir Politique"
A year later, on 21 of March 1816, he married Jane Warren. He had six daughters and two sons: Mary, Elizabeth, Georgiana, Louisa, Jane, Warren and William.
In 1821 he moved to London and set up as a printer, stationer and fancy goods manufacturer. In 1830 he founded a business of cardmakers, hot pressers and enamellers with Samuel Cornish and William Rock.
In 1831 the De La Rue Company received the rights to print playing cards, and a year later they issued their first deck of print cards. In 1838 the company printed a special golden edition of the Sun newspaper. In 1853 the De La Rue Company was awarded a contract to print adhesive stamps - the first to be surface printed and to have perforated edges.
In 1855 De La Rue was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, and three years later, in 1858, he retired from the De La Rue Company.
In 1860 the De La Rue Company printed its first paper money - the Mauritius 1, 5 and 10 shilling notes.
Thomas De La Rue died on the 7 June 1866.In 1963 a bronze bust unveiled at the site of his first printing business to mark the company's 150th anniversary. In 1967 the site of the first printing business is granted a license and opens as the Thomas De La Rue pub, and in 1971 and again in 1993 commemorative postage stamps issued were issued by Guernsey Post Office.
De La Rue plc is a banknote manufacturer, security printing of passports and tax stamps, brand authentication and papermaking company with headquarters in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset. There are overseas offices in Kenya, Sri Lanka and Malta. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
In 1921, the de la Rue family sold their interests. It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1947. The company, then called Thomas De La Rue & Company, Limited, changed its name in 1958 to The De La Rue Company Limited. A takeover bid for De La Rue was made by the Rank Organisation plc in 1968 but this was rejected by the Monopolies commission as being against the public interest. In 1991 the company’s name was changed again – this time to De La Rue plc.
De La Rue sells high-security paper and printing technology for over 150 national currencies. (www.gov.gg)
On background, behind publication, are miniature effigies of Thomas de la Rue.
On left side and on background of reverse and obverse (stylized) are the flowers of Nerine sarniensis (Guernsey lily, Jersey lily).
Nerine sarniensis is a species of flowering plant. Despite its common name it is neither a true lily nor does it originate from the Channel Isles. In fact, as a member of Amaryllidaceae it is more closely related to Amaryllis and Sternbergia. It is native to the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa, though it is now naturalized in France, Madeira and Azores.
Nerine sarniensis is a bulbous perennial growing to 45 cm. (18 in.) tall by 8 cm. (3 in.) wide, with strap-shaped leaves and umbels of crimson, lily-like flowers with conspicuous stamens, in late summer and early autumn.
Denominations in numeral are in top right and lower left corners. In words, at the bottom, centered.
Comments:
Commemorative banknote. Released July 4, 2013, in the number of 300,000 pieces, to the 200th anniversary of the first commercial enterprise of Thomas de la Rue - the foundation of his own print edition of "Le Miroir Politique" ("Mirror of Politics").
The prefix of this release is TDLR (Thomas de la Rue).
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