First look – the new Churchill £5 note revealed…

The New Sir Winston Churchill Polymer £5 Note

The New Sir Winston Churchill Polymer £5 Note © Bank of England [2015]

The Bank of England has just revealed their first ever polymer banknote in a ceremony at Blenheim Palace.

The new £5 note features an image of Sir Winston Churchill, alongside the famous quotation from his first speech as Prime Minister: ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.’

In the background the clock on Queen Elizabeth’s Tower reads 3pm, the time Churchill was making his speech in 1940. Behind the Houses of Parliament you can see the Nobel Prize for literature which the great statesman won in 1953.

The New £5 Note

The other side of the £5 note featuring Queen Elizabeth II © Bank of England [2015]

The other side of the note features a raft of new security measures including a see-through window, multiple holograms and micro-lettering under the Queen’s portrait – which can only be viewed under a microscope.

But most importantly…

When can I find one in my change?

The new note will enter circulation on September 13th this year. However, with millions of existing five pound notes still in use you may not be able to find one straight away.

Will I still be able to spend my current £5 notes?

Yes you will, but only up until May 2017. After that, they will cease to be legal tender – but you will still be able to exchange them at the Bank of England.

So the new era of Plastic Banknotes is officially upon us! What do you make of the new design? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter or in the comments below.


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