British Banknotes
The first British Banknotes ever made date back to the 17th century, to the year 1694 to be more precise. It was during this year that the Bank of England was established to raise money to fund King William III’s war against France. All notes were originally handwritten on Bank paper and they all had to be signed by the Chief Cashier. During the late 17th century the average income was less than £20 a year and, as the Bank of England decided not to print notes worth less than £50, most people would go through life without ever seeing one.
It was only in 1853 that the first fully printed banknotes appeared in Britain. It was also then that the phrase “I promise to pay the bearer on the demand the sum of...” was first used on a banknote. A phrase that to this day remains unchanged.
On this page, you’ll find British banknotes from the 19th Century onwards, ordered by categories for your convenience. From Bank of England Notes to Treasury Notes and Provincial Notes, there’s something for every collector.
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