5 Pounds Sterling 1961, Kingdom of Great Britain
| in Banknotes Book | Number: SC807c |
| Years of issue: | 01.04.1961 |
| Edition: | -- |
| Signatures: | Cashier and General manager: Mr. W.R. Ballantyne, Chief Accountant: Mr. A. G. Campbell |
| Serie: | Scotland |
| Specimen of: | 01.04.1955 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 178 x 104 |
| Printer: | Weak Johnston & G.W. Bacon Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland |
* 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:
Big letters: "ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND".
Avers:
The Scottish Parliament had declared in 1689 that King James VII had, by his absence, forfeited the throne, and handed the Crown to his Dutch rival William of Orange, who had already seized the throne in England. The House of Hanover succeeded to the throne of the new United Kingdom which had been created in 1707, but the Bank of Scotland was suspected of harbouring Jacobite sympathies. The London government was keen to help out Scottish merchants loyal to the Hanoverians and so, in 1727, King George granted a royal charter to the new Royal Bank of Scotland.
Now one of the most well-known financial brands in the world, the Royal Bank of Scotland was founded in Edinburgh in 1727, thirty-two years after its rival, the Bank of Scotland. (The Bank of Scotland, as it happens, was founded by an Englishman, John Holland - just as the Bank of England was founded by a Scot, Sir William Paterson).
Logo of the bank The Royal Bank of Scotland on top. Surprisingly for an institution founded in 1727, the Royal Bank of Scotland did not acquire its own coat of arms until 1960. Thats why, logo on banknote consist of different parts of heraldic symbols (mostly taken from british coat of arms) and a portrait of its first governor - Sir Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay.
On the logo:
Unicorn of Scotland.
The unicorn is chained because in mediaeval times a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast (only a virgin could tame a unicorn. Nearby are thistle and shamrock - the symbols of Scotland and Ireland.
The English Lion. Nearby is Tudor rose, the symbol of England.
Portrait of Sir Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay.
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay (June 1682 - 15 April 1761) was a Scottish nobleman, politician, lawyer, businessman and soldier. He was known as Lord Archibald Campbell from 1703 to 1706, and as the Earl of Ilay from 1706 until 1743, when he succeeded to the dukedom. He was the dominant political leader in Scotland in his day, and was involved in many civic projects.
The engraving on banknote not made clear, but the portrait is based on a painting by Allan Ramsay in 1759. Today is in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Above the portrait is British royal crown.
Under portrait is motto of British Monarchs: "Dieu et mon droit" or in English:
"God and my right".
Denominations in numerals are near the logo, in words centered.
Revers:
White. Uniface.
Comments:
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