D H F Somerset served as Chief Cashier at the Bank of England from 1980-1988. During that time there were 4 different £10 notes issued. We are delighted to be able to offer choice examples of the first variety with the reference B346. This was the issue with the least number of notes printed, maybe because the prefixes were a continuation from those issued with J B Page’s signature. The front has a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in State Robes while the back honours Florence Nightingale. A vignette of her work in Scutari during the Crimea War also appears. Choice AUnc examples of Somerset’s First £10 at just £75 each Limited availability.
The most elusive of the Somerset £10 notes is the 4th and last variety (B349) This was the first £10 note to feature a segmented silver foil ‘stardust security thread’ which when held to the light appeared as a continuous thread. HM the Queen is on the front with vignettes of Florence Nightingale and her work in the Crimea on the back We are delighted offer Crisp Uncirculated examples of the last Somerset £10.
D H F Somerset was Chief Cashier at the Bank of England between 1980 and 1988. During that period, there were 4 distinct varieties of the Florence Nightingale £10 note. Three had a hidden security thread and 1 had a stardust silver thread. The last of the £10 notes with the buried security thread have the catalogue reference B348 in Vincent Duggleby's English Paper Money. These were also the first £10 note to be printed on giant web presses with the fronts printed in intaglio and the backs with offset lithography. The Bank included a little L on the back to distinguish this variety from others.