£1 notes

During the Second World War the Bank of England was concerned that the currency could be counterfeited. To thwart counterfeiters it was decided to change the colour of the £1 note from the traditional green to blue pink Perhaps the most significant change was the introduction of an embedded security thread in the body of the note. We regard this feature as standard today but then it was considered revolutionary. The bank ditched the new colours once the war was over reverting to the traditional green. The new security feature was retained. This is a classic note which any Bank of England collection should include. It is important because it was the first note to contain an embedded metal security thread. Available in AU/Unc. Image of note is a representative item from stock and will not necessarily be the actual item supplied.

A revolutionary note which was the first to include the embedded metal security thread. Signed by K.O. Peppiatt as Chief Cashier.

A revolutionary note which was the first to include the embedded metal security thread. Signed by K.O. Peppiatt as Chief Cashier.

A revolutionary note which was the first to include the embedded metal security thread. Signed by K.O. Peppiatt as Chief Cashier.

A revolutionary note which was the first to include the embedded metal security thread. Signed by K.O. Peppiatt as Chief Cashier.

D H F Somerset £1 Green Pictorial B341 DY21 Very last prefix ever for this denomination which was discontinued in favour of a coin Unc and scarce

Bank of England green Britannia £1, 4th issue, threaded, K.O. Peppiatt as Chief Cashier (B260). Extremely Fine Condition

Bank of England green Britannia £1, 4th issue, threaded, K.O. Peppiatt as Chief Cashier (B260). Very Fine Condition.

The Channel Islands were the only part of British territory occupied by the Germans in World War II. The local residents in Guernsey wanted to issue small denomination notes for change as all-metal coins had long disappeared from circulation. The Germans only allowed these small notes to be issued if the locals put up the equivalent in English Pounds. A total of 5000 £1 notes were taken from the vaults and overprinted 'Withdrawn from Circulation' so they could not be used by anyone, not even their German occupiers! A number of different types were taken from the bank that day but the ones we have on offer now are the Peppiatt pre-War issue of which there were a total of 1,885 surviving (B239A). All the serial numbers in the hoard which came to light over 20 years ago have been recorded and they are scarce. Very limited availability and an important part of our numismatic history.

The Channel Islands were the only part of British territory occupied by the Germans in World War II. The local residents in Guernsey wanted to issue small denomination notes for change as all metal coins had long disappeared from circulation. The Germans only allowed these small notes to be issued if the locals put up the equivalent in English Pounds. A total of 5000 £1 notes were taken from the vaults and overprinted 'Withdrawn from Circulation' so they could not be used by anyone, not even their German occupiers! A number of different types were taken from the bank that day but the ones we have on offer now are the Peppiatt pre-War issue of which there were a total of 1,885 surviving (B239A). All the serial numbers in the hoard which came to light over 20 years ago have been recorded and they are scarce. Very limited availability and an important part of our numismatic history.

J B Page £1 Green Portrait B320 AU-Unc

These £1notes are Replacement notes, produced to replace notes damaged in production. They would have been inserted into packs and are identified by their prefix which usually contains the letter M. These are from the Portrait series when J B Page was Chief Cashier an the pregfixes could be either S-M, R-M or W-M (B321) Crisp AUnc.

J B Page £1 Green Portrait B321 Queen Eliz/ Young Britannia R-M Prefix Replacement AUnc

J B Page £1 Green Portrait B322 HZ Prefix EF.

J B Page was Chief Cashier at the Bank of England from 1970 to 1980. Two different designs for the £1 note were issued during his term. The first followed the so-called Portrait Series design with a youthful Queen Elizabeth II portrait on the front and a seated Young Britannia on the back, (B322) The last Page Portrait £1 notes issued all had the prefix HZ, much sought after by collectors (B322). Here we offer this note in Uncirculated with the HZ01 prefix.

J B Page £1 Green Portrait B322 Queen Eliz/ Young Britannia Unc

Crisp AUncirculated examples of the Hollom Replacement Portrait £1 with the catalogue reference B290. All replacement notes are scarce because they were issued in much smaller numbers. Their purpose was, as their name implies, to replace notes damaged in production. They were given a special prefix to identify them. In the case of the Portrait series, this included the letter M. Our Hollom Replacement Portrait £1 notes have the prefix –M. They are AUncirculated. Limited availability

KO Peppiatt was one of the longest serving Chief Cashiers at the Bank of England in the modern period. He served from 1934 until 1948. During that time there were 4 different varieties of the Britannia £1 note. The fourth and last variety was issued in September 1948, just 6 months before he stepped down to become an Executive Director of the bank. The Fourth Issue follows the regular Britannia £1 design except an embedded metal security thread is included (B260) Available in Crisp Good Fine-VF.

K O Peppiatt £1 note (2nd Issue), coloured Blue & Pink, Britannia Threaded, B249, features Z-D prefix. In fine condition.

It was in 1960 when L K O’Brien was Chief Cashier that the Bank of England decided to issue notes with the portrait of the reigning monarch Elizabeth II. This was quite a departure because until that point the only illustration on Bank of England notes was of Britannia. Britannia was still featured but this time in a seal which appeared on the back of the notes. The portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth II appeared on the front. There were two regular varieties of the O’Brien Portrait £1 note with the catalogue references of B281 and B282. Here we offer the B281 £1 Note with the prefix A- in Uncirculated condition.

It was in 1960 when L K O’Brien was Chief Cashier that the Bank of England decided to issue notes with the portrait of the reigning monarch Elizabeth II. This was quite a departure because until that point the only illustration on Bank of England notes was of Britannia. Britannia was still featured but this time in a seal which appeared on the back of the notes. The portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth II appeared on the front There were two regular varieties of the O’Brien Portrait £1 note with the catalogue references of B281 and B282. Here we offer the first £1 note with the B282 prefix –A in Uncircualted condition

The O’Brien Britannia £1 note was the last Britannia £1 to be issued by the Bank of England (B273/P369c). During O’Brien’s term as Chief Cashier the Bank decided to issue notes with the portrait of the reigning monarch for the first time in it’s history. Until 1960, the portrait of Britannia had been the only illustration on Bank of England notes. These O’Brien Britannia £1 notes were the very last in that long tradition. They have always proved just that bit more elusive to track down than some of the earlier Britannia issues. These are wonderful notes in spectacular condition from an original block, issued almost 50 years ago. About Uncirculated- the last of the Britannia Pounds.

PS Beale was Chief Cashier from 1949 until 1954. During that period only 3 denominations were issued – the 10 shillings, £1 and £5. The £1 note signed by Beale followed the Britannia design. A vignette of a seated Britannia appears on the front (B268) On the back, running along to top of the note is a view of the façade of The Bank of England Headquarters in Threadneedle Street. Below set in a bed of acanthus leaves we find the Pistrucci reverse of the gold sovereign- the £1 equivalent at the time. We offer the Beale Britannia £1 note here in Fine condition.

P S Beale 10/- Red Brown Britannia 2nd Issue B266 Crisp Unc

It's now been over 30 years since the last £1 note was issued. Four £1 note designs have been gathered into this collection. They were issued in the period before and after World War II. You get the Blue Pink Pound, which was printed during World War II. You get the green Britannia Pound, the first Portrait Pound of Queen Elizabeth II and the last, smaller-sized portrait note of Queen Elizabeth II. The collection is available here in EF/Unc.