Current issue notes
The Ilay series
Our Ilay banknote series was launched in September 1987. The notes are currently issued in £1, £20, £50 and £100 denominations. Since 2016 and 2017 the Ilay £5 and £10 have been replaced by new designs (see below).
The Ilay series is named after the first governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Archibald Campbell, Earl of Ilay (1682-1761), whose portrait appears on the front face of each note. Ilay's portrait also features as the watermark.
Ilay was the right-hand man in Scotland for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, and played an important part in establishing Scottish banking. He was closely involved in the foundation of the Royal Bank in 1727 and also set up the British Linen Bank in 1746. He was noted for his support of Scottish universities.
Reverse side
On the reverse, each denomination in the Ilay series features a different Scottish castle. These castles first appeared on Royal Bank notes in 1972, following the merger of National Commercial Bank of Scotland and The Royal Bank of Scotland in 1969.
Full details of the signatories, issue dates, serial numbers and issue extents of the Ilay series are provided in our details for banknote collectors (PDF - 17KB).
New £5 note, 2016
From October 2016 the Ilay series £5 note was replaced by a new design.
The 2016 £5 note was the bank's first issue on a polymer substrate, and features a portrait of the Scottish writer Nan Shepherd (1893-1981) on one side and an illustration of mackerel on the other.
Other design features include a herringbone tweed pattern; woad flowers; and a quotation from poet Sorley MacLean (1911-1996).
New £10 note, 2017
From October 2017 the Ilay series £10 note was replaced by a new design.
It features a portrait of the Scottish astronomer and mathematician Mary Somerville (1780-1872) on one side and an illustration of otters on the other.
Other design features include a tweed pattern; dulse seaweed; and a quotation from poet Norman MacCaig (1910-1996).
