Royal Bank of Scotland's first new £20 note for 23 years goes into circulation today - the first of that denomination to feature a woman other than the Queen on its face.
The polymer £20 note features Scottish entrepreneur Kate Cranston of Rennie Mackintosh tearoom fame. She was chosen by the Royal Bank of Scotland Scottish Board after consultation with the public.
RBS’s Scottish board chair Malcolm Buchanan said: “At Royal Bank of Scotland, we feel that a banknote’s value is more than just the figure printed across its front - it is our symbol which lives in people’s pockets and touches everyday lives.
“Kate Cranston’s legacy touches so many aspects of Scottish life that we, as a nation, are justifiably proud; entrepreneurialism, art, philanthropy and dedication.
“Choosing the design of the £20 note was an important decision for it is Royal Bank of Scotland’s biggest circulating note, with £736m currently in circulation.
“On the eve of International Women’s Day it is fitting that such a figure as Kate Cranston will be celebrated on the face of our most popular note.”
The new note is available from today at eight Royal Bank of Scotland branches, including Dundee’s High Street; Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street and Gordon Street branches, St Nicholas Street in Aberdeen, the Inverness Chief Office, Paisley’s Chief Office and Edinburgh’s West End and flagship St Andrew Square branch.
It was designed in partnership with arts’ organisations and designers including Graven Images, Nile, Stucco, Timrous Beasties, O’Street and the Glasgow School of Art.
It is made from De La Rue’s Safeguard® polymer and will also contain a variety of new security features, making it difficult to counterfeit but easy to authenticate.
In keeping with its Fabric of Nature theme, the new £20 features illustrations of red squirrels, blaeberry and extracts from 16th century Scottish poet Mark Alexander Boyd’s work, Cupid and Venus.
