Through the past couple of years the revolution of the contents of our pockets, wallets and purses has really ramped up.
September 2016 saw the introduction of the polymer £5 note and even earlier this year, in March came the new 12-sided £1.
Clearly not happy to leave it there, the Bank of England is set to officially release a new look plastic £10 note today, on Tuesday July 18.
The event when the note will be unveiled is set to take place at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire and our sister title, the Birmingham Mail have brought together everything that we know so far about the new ‘tenner’.
What we know about the plastic £10
The bank has said that: “The £10 paper bank note is the oldest Bank of England bank note design in circulation and therefore the security features require updating to take advantage of developments in technology.”
More than 275 million versions of the note has already been printed, after production of it began last August.
It will be smaller than the current version yet still bigger than the new ‘fiver’. The size ratio between the old £5 and £10 notes will remain the same.
Similarly to the ‘fiver’, the £10 note will contain traces of animal fat but the Bank of England are looking into way of making them tallow-free: “we will work closely with bank note polymer suppliers to determine what alternatives might be available.”
Work has already begun adapting cash machines to fit the new note by the expected released date in September 2017.
In the future, a plastic £20 note is set to complete the trio and be released in 2020 – but there are currently zero plans in the pipeline to issue a plastic £50.
Who will be the ‘cover star’ this time?
Back in 2013, governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney announced at a press conference that Jane Austen would feature on the note.
She will be the only woman on the back of English banknotes currently in circulation and speaking at the announcement, Mr Carney said: “Jane Austen certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes.
“Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal and she is recognised as one of the greatest writers in English literature.
“As Austen joins Adam Smith, Boulton and Watt, and in future, Churchill, our notes will celebrate a diverse range of individuals who have contributed in a wide range of fields.
What else will appear on the £10 note?
Joining Jane Austen on the design of the note will include:
- A quote – “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!” from Pride and Prejudice (Miss Bingley, Chapter XI)
- A portrait of Jane Austen, commissioned by James Edward Austen Leigh who is the nephew of Jane Austen in 1870 and adapted from an original sketch of Jane Austen that her sister Cassandra Austen drew.
- An illustration of Miss Elizabeth Bennet undertaking “The examination of all the letters which Jane had written to her”– from a drawing by Isabel Bishop (1902-1988).
- The image of Godmersham Park. Godmersham was home of Edward Austen Knight, Jane Austen's brother. Jane Austen visited the house often and it is believed that it was the inspiration for a number of her novels.
- Jane Austen’s writing table – the central design in the background is inspired by the 12 sided writing table, and writing quills, used by Jane Austen at Chawton Cottage.
What will the note be worth?
The internet went mad for fivers with low serial numbers when they were first released and there is nothing to indicate that the tenner won’t have a similar reaction.
Quirky serial numbers, such as AK47, also seem to attract hefty bids from those across the internet.
