I read a post about Scottish pounds expiring, so got me to thinking..,,
We have about 60£ from our last visit to the UK in 2018. Flying into Edinburgh in about a month. Is it possible the currency will be expired? Will we need to exchange at a bank? Or no need to even worry about it?
If they are paper you exchange them at a branch of the issuing bank - or try a post office
Current notes https://www.scotbanks.org.uk/banknotes/polymer-banknotes.html
Paper £100 notes are still valid for anyone who has a stash (!)
Others can be exchanged at the issuing bank. You are well below the limit of £250 for this.
Many banks and post offices will only accept old paper notes if you are depositing into an account - the Bank of England guidance comments that is their choice.
I can't even change a polymer £10 for two £5 at my post office.
Your best option may be to go to the Bank of England website and follow the instructions for exchanging by post via them
Thanks for the info. We will try at BOE location near Waverly Bridge. We only have 50£, so not a huge deal.
Karen - are these Scottish notes or English ones?
If English then you may need to exchange via the Bank of England, although some post offices will also exchange then. Have a read here.
If they are Scottish notes issued by Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank or Bank of Scotland, it sounds to be a bit different. "Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale and Bank of Scotland have also agreed that they will exchange their own paper £20 and £50 notes from non-customers up to the value of £250, provided that photographic I.D. is presented".
Worth noting Clydesdale Bank is the name notes are issued under. Most if not all the branches have now been rebranded as 'Virgin Money'
Most if not all the branches have now been rebranded as 'Virgin Money'
Is that good or bad news MC-Glasgow?
Still to be seen. Mainly this happened at the end of the Before times and during Covid. I remember double taking when our local branch had changed. I think it is going to be entirely down to how you view the Virgin brand, which can be OTT, brash, and in your face, but does have a reputation of good customer services. Not experienced the branches directly, as I am a RBS customer.
The rebrand also coincided with Clydesdale Bank no longer suppling ATMs for companies without their own notes with notes. This has been picked up by both the BoS and RBS, meaning Clydesdale notes are now rarer only coming from Virgin Money branded ATMs.
Yorkshire Bank is also rebranding as Virgin Money.
Thanks for tha information MC-Glasgow - interesting reading. I hadn't realised Yorkshire bank were also affected...
Yorkshire Bank was the bigger part of the Clydesdale group when owned by National Australia Bank, but IIRC Clydesdale was kept as the main name due to the banknote issuing issue.
In my opinion the last paper notes Clydesdale was the best and I actually would go to an ATM that issued Clydesdale notes. RBS was issuing to my view monopoly money.. Now, I use Tesco or RBS which issue Royal Bank of Scotland notes and are nearest to me at home or work, but also the notes are brilliant.
What specific notes do you have, and are they paper or polymer (plastic)?
For a 2018 trip, you should be fine with any 5 GBP notes. The 10 GBP note ceased to be legal tender in March of 2018, so you likely do not have paper 10 GBP notes, so those may be OK. However, if you have 20 or 50 GBP notes, those have been withdrawn, and you will need to exchange. Polymer notes (20 and 50) were issued in 2020 and 2021 respectively, and ceased to be legal tender in 2022.
If you have 20 and 50 GBP notes, simply go to a post office first, there are many small ones in WH Smith stores and similar and try to exchange. Otherwise, yeah, the fallback is a BOE, but you need to be there early, and be prepared to waste most of your morning.
Does this mean that my Clydesdale notes will be collector's items?
Mike (Auchterless)
Thanks for the replies.
Looks like the 10£ notes and all but 1 5£ notes are plastic. Issued by Bank of England. So sounds like the “new” valid notes are plastic. And only the one paper 5£ note would have to be exchanged? Not worth the effort, we will add to our collection of obsolete misc. foreign money (lire coins, non Swiss francs, old pesos, Jamaican bills, etc.)
All banknotes will become collectors items eventually, heck even when in circulation. Probably not going to be that special, it is not like the ones with an absurd amount of zeros due to rampant inflation.
Probably not even going to be more collector items than some of the rarer Sterling denominated notes like those of Jersey or Guernsey for example, after all Scotland is a lot bigger and the Clydesdale notes are still in circulation and cash floats for businesses will still be Clydesdale if they bank with Virgin Money.
