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Here’s where you can find the new JMW Turner Polymer £20 note…
Basingstoke
- NatWest, 3 London Street, Old Market Square, Basingstoke, RG21 7NS
Bath
- HSBC, 41 Southgate, Bath, BA1 1TN
- NatWest, 8-9 Quiet Street, Bath, BA1 2JN
Birmingham
- HSBC, 130 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4JU
- Lloyds Bank, 36-38 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4LP
- NatWest, 144 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4NY
- Santander, Unit 6, Caxton Gate, Corporation Street, Birmingham, B2 4LP
- TSB, 134 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4NS
- Virgin Money, Temple Point, 1 Temple Row, Birmingham, B1 5YB
Bradford
- Santander, 9 Nelson Street, Bradford, BD1 5AN
Bristol
- Eurochange, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS34 5QT
Cwmbran
- NM Money, 15 South Walk, Cwmbran, NP44 1PU
Edinburgh
- TSB, 28 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2DS
Leeds
- HSBC, 33 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 1LD
- Santander, PR Work Café, 10-12 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5HD
- Yorkshire Bank, 94-96 Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6NP
Leicester
- Santander, Carlton Park, King Edward Avenue, Narborough, Leicester, LE19 0AL
Liverpool
- Santander, 45 Lord Street, Liverpool, L2 6PB
- TSB, 81-83 Lord Street, Liverpool, L2 6PG
London
- Barclays, 2 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5RB
- Barry’s Food & Wine, 149 Hoxton Street, London, N1 6PJ
- HSBC, 165 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2DY
- Halifax, 118-132 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1HL
- NatWest, 1 Princes Street, London, EC2R 8BP
- NatWest, 34 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8NL
- NatWest, 10 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TJ
- Post Office, 52 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NN
- Post Office, 39-41 Farringdon Road, London, EC1M 3JB
- Post Office, 11 White Kennet Street, Houndsditch, London, E1 7BS
- Post Office, 19a Borough High Street, London, SE1 9SF
- Post Office, 125-131 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HJ
- Santander, 48-54 Moorgate, London, EC2R 6EJ
- Santander, 164-167 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7JE
- Santander, 2 Triton Square, Regents Place, London, NW1 3AN
- The Cooperative Food, 185 Old Street, Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9NP
- TSB, 55 Bow Bells House, Cheapside, London, EC2V 6AT
- Virgin Money, 154-158 Kensington High Street, London, W8 7RL
Manchester
- Lloyds Bank, 42-46 Market Street, Manchester, M1 1PW
- NatWest, 1 Hardman Blvd, Manchester, M3 3AQ
- TSB, 21 Market Street, Manchester, M1 1WR
Margate
- Santander, 110-112 High Street, Margate, Kent, CT9 1JR
Milton Keynes
- Santander, 201 Grafton Gate East, Milton Keynes, MK9 1AN
Newcastle
- Santander, 112-118 Northumberland Street, Newcastle, NE1 7DG
Salford
- Barclays, Unit 2 Blue, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2AD
- Lowry Outlet Mall, The Lowry Designer Outlet, Salford Quays, M50 3AH
Sheffield
- Post Office, 12 Ellesemere Road, Sheffield, S4 7JB
- Yorkshire Bank, Fargate, Sheffield, S1 1LL
Swindon
- Nationwide, Nationwide House, Pipers Way, Swindon, SN3 1TA
Wales
- Post Office, 56-58 Oxford Street, Mountain Ash, Mid Glamorgan, CF45 3HB
- Santander, 5-7 Queen Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 2AF
Official UK Brexit 50p released!
*** UPDATE ***
An extra 1.5 million Brexit 50ps have been released into circulation following the 3 million initially released when Britain left to EU.
The Treasury has confirmed the number of Brexit 50p coins will increase to 10 million by the end of the year to satisfy collector demand.
On the 31st January 2020 the United Kingdom left the European Union – over three and half years after the Vote.
This departure is possibly one of the most historically significant events to happen in modern history, so we know collectors will be extremely excited to hear a brand new United Kingdom coin has been issued to commemorate the occasion.
The 2020 UK Brexit 50p has been officially released today and is the only official United Kingdom coin to commemorate the occasion.
Although the design had been rumoured some time ago, the final design features the inscription ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations‘ and the all-important date – 31st January 2020 – underneath.
However, this brand new 50p isn’t the only coin to have been issued to documents Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
In this blog, we take a look back at the coins which tell the story of the 43 year long partnership between the UK and the EU.
1973 European Economic Community 50p
In 1973, after over a decade of debate and discussion, Britain was finally successful in joining the EU – then known as the European Economic Community (EEC).
To mark such a ground-breaking partnership, The Royal Mint issued the FIRST-EVER commemorative 50p!
It’s hard to believe there was a time when commemorative 50p coins weren’t commonplace, but this 1973 coin was the very first of its kind!
The design features nine hands clasping each other in a circle, symbolising the nine member state of the community.
As the first-ever commemorative 50p, it’s unsurprising this release is considered hugely significant in British history, numismatic history, and is a staple of any UK coin collection. You can secure one for your collection for JUST £5.00 by clicking here >>
The 1973 EEC 50p had a circulating mintage of 89,755,000.
1992/3 European Council Presidency 50p
In 1992/3 the UK celebrated its presidency of the European Council of Ministers, and the completion of the Single Market.
The intricate design of this 50p, by Mary Milner Dickens (who later designed the 2000 Libraries and the 2003 Suffragettes 50ps) shows a conference table seen from above, around which are the 12 chairs for the Council of Ministers.
However, what makes this 50p particularly special and sought-after by collectors is not the design, but the mintage.
This 1992/3 European Community Presidency 50p had a circulating mintage of JUST 109,000! It is the rarest UK 50p to EVER enter circulation.
When you consider the Kew Gardens is the rarest 50p currently in circulation and has a mintage of 210,000 you start to grasp how small the mintage for this 50p really is!
Any Change Checker who is lucky enough to have this coin in their collection must be incredibly pleased!
1998 UK Entry to the EEC 25th Anniversary 50p
In 1998 a new United Kingdom 50p was issued to commemorate 25 years since the UK joined the EEC.
Remarkably, this European-Union-inspired 50p coin is the subject of another numismatic first – the first ‘new sized’ commemorative 50p to be issued following the specification change in 1997.
The old larger coins were removed from circulation and it’s this new sized 50p that has featured some of our most iconic coin designs and has become the most collected coin in the world!
Designed by John Mills (designer of the much-loved 1994 D-Day 50p), the reverse of this coin shows 12 stars to represent the 12 ministers and had a circulating mintage of 5,043,000.
And there we have it! The UK’s relationship with the EU as told by coins!
It’s incredible to look back at some of the most ground-breaking 50p issues that are tied to this 47 year relationship.
Do you have any of these coins in your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
Brand new UK Brexit 50p – Secure yours today
As you would expect with a coin this historic the brand new UK Brexit 50p has been struck to superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality and protectively encapsulated in official Change Checker packaging to preserve its quality forever.
Northern Ireland’s First Trust Bank to stop issuing their own banknotes
First Trust Bank, one of four main banks in Northern Ireland, will become the first Northern Ireland-based bank to end the practice of printing its own-denomination banknotes. The bank revealed it will scrap its own banknotes next year and switch to dispensing Bank of England notes from its ATM network.
Although the UK has a vast variety of different notes in circulation, The Bank of England is the only bank to issue notes for England and Wales, while there are seven different banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland that currently produce their own notes.
First Trust Bank currently their own banknotes in denominations of £10, £20, £5 and £100. Image Credit: The Irish Times
The decision is thought to be an economic issue and means that all existing First Trust banknotes will not be able to be used for payments from midnight on 30th June 2022. They can however be exchanged for Bank of England banknotes, or other sterling banknotes of equivalent value at Post Offices up until 30th June 2024.
Why do Scotland and Northern Ireland issue their own banknotes?
The UK has a vast variety of different notes in circulation and although those of us living in England and Wales don’t see many, there are three different banks in Scotland and four in Northern Ireland that currently produce their own notes.
In fact the tradition of printing banknotes was considered the norm centuries ago as most of the UK’s banks produced their own banknotes. However over time they weren’t all doing it responsibly and were not able to back the notes up with actual assets. The law changed in the 1840’s in England and Wales so all production of banknotes was moved to The Bank of England bar Scotland who argued for an exception as they were not having the same issues. The Bank Notes Act of 1928 allowed banks in Northern Ireland to produce their own notes.
For people living in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the banknotes are part of the furniture and a part of their cultural identity that usually feature local landmarks and historical figures. These issuing banks have also considered the notes as part of their marketing as customers are seeing the name of their banks in their hands as they spend cash.
Can you spend Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes in England?
Yes. The notes are legal currency and backed with physical assets with the Bank of England so can technically be accepted anywhere in the UK. However, the problems come as shops are not always overly familiar with all the different types of notes and may not be sure on how to check them for counterfeiting so don’t like to accept them.
Is this the beginning of the end for Northern Irish and Scottish banknotes?
The decision is scrap the printing of banknotes at First Trust Bank is thought to be an economic issue and comes as other Northern Ireland banks prepare for the change over to modern Polymer notes in the very near future. The update is needed in order to produce counterfeit resilient notes to protect against forgery and ensure the security of circulating notes. But this costly change could be too much for First Trust handle.
Scotland’s Clydesdale Bank was the first bank in the UK to issue a Polymer note in 2015. Image Credit: RBS
There are also a lot fewer of these notes changing hands and with the increasing use of digital payment methods and mobile technology, it could be the reasoning behind the decision to scrap the notes.
The other three Northern Irish banks are currently in various stages of issuing their own polymer £5, £10 and £20 notes and it is clear that Scotland are completely committed to keeping their own notes as Clydesdale Bank was the first bank in the UK to issue a Polymer note back in 2015.