The Bank of England banknotes.
There are two versions of the banknotes in circulation. One version featuring a portrait of King Charles III and one version featuring a portrait of Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
There are four denominations of the banknotes in circulation: £5, £10, £20 and £50.
All four denominations of notes are printed on polymer.
The security features are the same on both the King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II notes.
This film will run through those key security features found on all the notes. You should check these features to ensure notes are genuine.
There is a large see-through window.
A clearly defined portrait of either King Charles III or Queen Elizabeth II is printed on the window with the numerical value of the note and the words ‘Bank of England’ printed twice around the edge.
A metallic image is positioned over the window.
The foil is gold on the front of the £5 and £10 notes; gold and blue on the front of the £20 note; and gold and green on the front of the £50 note. The foil is silver on the back of all notes.
On the £20 and £50 notes there is a second, smaller window in the bottom corner of the note.
Below the main see-through window on the front of all the notes, there is a silver foil patch containing a hologram. When you tilt the note from side to side, the words change between the value of the note and ‘Pounds’.
A 3D image of the coronation crown appears above the main see-through window.
On the back of the notes, directly behind the silver crown on the front, there is a metallic, foil patch.
The foil is green on the £5 note, copper on the £10 note, purple on the £20 note and red on the £50 note.
On the front of the notes, you can feel raised print. For example, on the words ‘Bank of England’ and in the bottom right corner.
Under a good quality ultra-violet light, the numerical value appears in bright red and green on the front of the notes, against a duller background.
The Bank of England banknotes.
FAQs
If you look at a currency note, you will see a line of squares running across the middle. This line is known as a security thread. On a real note, the security thread is incorporated through the currency. Thus, to check for a fake note, you can look at this feature.
How do you check bank notes? ›
Instead check for as many as possible of the following:
- Serial Numbers. Genuine notes have unique serial numbers therefore if you have two notes displaying the same serial number at least one of them is a counterfeit.
- Paper. ...
- Watermark. ...
- Security Thread. ...
- Printing. ...
- Move/Tilt. ...
- Detector Pen. ...
- UV Light.
On the back of the notes, directly behind the silver crown on the front, there is a metallic, foil patch. The foil is green on the £5 note, copper on the £10 note, purple on the £20 note and red on the £50 note. On the front of the notes, you can feel raised print.
How to check 50 notes with UV light? ›
Under a good-quality ultraviolet light, the number '50' appears in bright red and green on the front of the note, against a duller background. The note is printed on polymer, which is a thin and flexible plastic material.
How to check $100 dollar notes? ›
Hold the note to light to see an embedded thread running vertically to the left of the portrait. The thread is imprinted with the letters USA and the numeral 100 in an alternating pattern and is visible from both sides of the note. The thread glows pink when illuminated by ultraviolet light.
How do I check my USD note? ›
Security Thread All genuine FRNs, except the $1 and $2, have a clear thread embedded vertically in the paper. The thread is inscribed with the denomination of the note and is visible only when held to light. Each denomination has a unique thread position and glows a different color when held to ultraviolet (UV) light.
How to check banknote serial number? ›
Serial Number
A unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the front of the note. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year.
How do you understand bank notes? ›
A banknote is a negotiable promissory note which one party can use to pay another party a specific amount of money. A banknote is payable to the bearer on demand, and the amount payable is apparent on the face of the note.
How do you detect fake banknotes? ›
To spot counterfeits, look for the absence of features like security threads, UV properties, watermarks, and color-shifting inks. Fake bills can sometimes have a few of these features, but it's difficult to replicate all of them perfectly.
How do I check if my 5 pound note is worth anything? ›
Here's how to tell how if the note in your pocket is worth more than its face value. Which serial numbers are valuable? The best fivers are those from the first batch, with serial numbers starting “AA01”. The rest of the number should be low to guarantee a high price.
There is a metallic thread embedded in every banknote. This appears as silver dashes on the back of the £5 note. If you hold the note up to the light the metallic thread will appear as a continuous dark line. Hold the £5 note up to the light and you will see an image of the Queen's portrait.
How to tell if 10 is real? ›
Next to the window, genuine £10 notes feature a quill, which changes colour from purple to orange when tilted. On the back of the £10 note is a book-shaped foil patch. This copper coloured patch has the letters JA printed on it.
How to check notes serial number? ›
Serial Number
A unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the front of the note. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year. A “star” suffix is used to identify notes that serve as replacements during the production process.
Is there an app to scan dollar bills for value? ›
Notesnap is perfect to help you put all your foreign and domestic bills together in one place and give you an idea what they could be worth.
How do I search my notes? ›
Search in Google Keep
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Keep app.
- At the top right, tap Search .
- Type the words or label name you're looking for, or click an icon to filter your search results: ...
- When you have your results, tap a note to open it.
All U.S. currency remains legal tender, regardless of when it was issued.
