Scottish Notes

[MMMM]

I just received this 1955 One Pound Commercial Bank of Scotland note.

 

 

I am trying to figure out the security features if any. I have a 1959 One Pound National Commercial Bank of Scotland that I am also looking for the security features. But i am just not seeing them. Can anyone help identify the security features? Thank you.

 

 

[Scottishmoney]

The watermark in the otherwise blank medallion is the main security feature as was then the fine engraving of the notes. These notes were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson - then owned by American Banknote Company.

 

Here is an image of the Fiver from 1952 from Commercial Bank:

 

 

And the Twenty from 1950 from same bank:

 

[Dave]

Nice notes MMMM. And Scotishmoney!

 

I've always admired those first two notes. Very neat backs on them.

 

 

[ccg]

I don't think I've seen that much blank space in a design, though well used :-)

[Scottishmoney]

I don't think I've seen that much blank space in a design, though well used :-)

 

Royal Bank and Bank of Scotland 10 Pound on up to the 100 Pound notes had blank reverses right up until 1969.

[Corina]

nice notes guys

[MMMM]

I do not think this is as impressive as the Commercial Bank, but here is an example of the Royal Bank. Are there better ones?

 

[Scottishmoney]

A new design in 1957, and a one off since National Bank merged with Commercial Bank in 1959:

 

 

Notice no ships in any channel under the bridge.

 

And then after the merger:

 

 

A famous note because it has a ship in the non-shipping channel - in reality a ship would have grounded in that channel. The error was corrected on the smaller sized 1964-6 era notes.

[MMMM]

So there are, or was, the National Bank and Commercial Bank which merged the National Commercial Bank, and there is the Royal Bank. How many banks were there in Scotland and did they always produce their own designs?

[Saor Alba]

So there are, or was, the National Bank and Commercial Bank which merged the National Commercial Bank, and there is the Royal Bank. How many banks were there in Scotland and did they always produce their own designs?

 

 

At the opening of the 20th century there were ten note issuing banks - Aberdeen Town and County and Caledonian were swallowed up by North of Scotland and Bank of Scotland early in the century which left eight. The next round of mergers began in the 1950s and on up through 1969 with the merger of British Linen into Bank of Scotland - which now leaves only three note issuing banks. British Linen continued as a savings bank up into the 1990s but has since been renamed. The banks always had their unique designs and continue to do so, but they do coordinate colour schemes with all of the other UK banks in Northern Ireland and England as well as Isle of Man and Guernsey and Jersey to afford some colour recognition.