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Serial Numbers on Current BoE Notes .

 

Welcome to the banknote serials page.

Understanding the Chart:

This chart has been compiled from notes seen in circulation, and is designed to give you an idea of what is around, specifically scarcer notes and those likely to be of interest to collectors. The chart details notes by denomination and prefix, and their numbers. It is necessary to understand some basic rules regarding the printing on current notes so that you can interpret the information, and know what to look out for. Current notes are printed in sheets, with 45 to a sheet of £5 notes, 40 to a sheet of £10 and £20 notes, and 35 to a sheet of £50 notes. As an example, if printing prefix AA as a £20, the first sheet would have AA01 in one corner, down to AA40 in the opposite corner. In any normal print run, once a prefix is seen in that range, it follows that all numbers from that sheet will have been printed (i.e if AA01 exists, AA01 to AA40 will exist). All notes on this sheet would have the same serial number, and printing starts at 999000 and prints in reverse order down to 000001. In simple terms, this is so that the notes are in order once guillotined and collated. With such large quantities of notes being produced, it does not necessarily follow that all notes are printed in order, or even circulated in order.

I have listed only those prefix ranges deemed to be of interest, notably the first or last in a series, plus replacement serials. To understand replacement systems within modern banknote production please refer to English Paper Money by Vincent Duggleby - or ask me for help.

Many thanks to those who have supplied updates recently!

Latest serials seen (updated 23rd December 2008) for standard runs are as follows

Five Pounds: KA90 (note: JJ not yet seen)

Ten Pounds: EJ40

Note: Ten Pounds CC41-80 high numbers now confirmed as Lowther, and breakpoint established.

Twenty Pounds (Elgar): EH40 last seen (please report if higher numbers seen)

Twenty Pounds (Smith) CD40

Fifty Pounds (Bailey signature): as listed below:

Banknote Serial Number Research - Current Notes
Prepared by Mark T. Ray
This information is for the benefit of the hobby - please mention this website if using info contained here.
All additions / updates / corrections welcomed.
Denomination Cypher Cashier Ref: Range Prefix Type Known Serials Details
£5 Fry JB Lowther B393 JB46-90 Last / First 999000 - 840001 JB90 last Lowther
Bailey B398 JB46-90 840000 - 000001 JB46 first Bailey
DL Lowther B393 DL01-45 Column Sort lowest seen 665xxx
EL Lowther B393 EL01-45 Column Sort lowest seen 841493 EL45 last Lowther
Bailey B398 EL01-45 Highest seen 87310 EL01 first Bailey
lowest seen 506xxx ongoing
**note overlaps **
LL Lowther B394 LL46-90 Replacement lowest seen 785842 LL90 last Lowther
Bailey B399 LL46-90 highest seen 782878 LL46 first Bailey
lowest seen 713001 ongoing
X... Lowther B397 01-45 Experimental 999000 - 996501 XA,B,C,D,E,H,J,K.
Qty issued 880,000
£10 Darwin AD Lowther B388 AD01-40 THE Co. To 632 & 594 down "And Co." overlap:
B390 AD01-40 AND Co. 630079  to 595476 Qty = 1.38m - 1.52m
CC Lowther B390 CC41-80 Last / First 999000 - 883501 CC80 last Lowther
Bailey B400 CC41-80 883500 - 000001 CC41 first Bailey
EL Lowther B388/B390 EL01-40 Column sort Split at 579000 The Co / And Co
Lowther B390 EL41-80 lowest seen 755609 EL80 last Lowther
Bailey B400 EL41-80 highest seen 849516 EL41 first Bailey
**note overlaps ** Full run printed
HL Bailey B400 HL01-40 Column sort lowest seen 956xxx ongoing
LL Lowther B389 LL01-40 Replacement 999000 - 950001 Qty issued 1.96million
Lowther B391 LL01-40 950000 - 875001 LL40 last Lowther
Bailey B401 LL01-40 From 875000 LL01 first Bailey

lowest seen 767950

ongoing
M... Lowther B392 01-40 Experimental 999000 - 996001 MH,MJ,MK,MM
Qty issued 465,000
£20 Elgar DE Lowther B386 DE41-80 Last / First lowest seen 607116 DE80 last Lowther
Bailey B402 DE41-80 highest seen 604762 DE41 first Bailey
BL Lowther B386 BL01-40 Column sort lowest seen 718784 BL40 last Lowther
Bailey B402 BL01-40 highest seen 878281 BL01 first Bailey

lowest seen 058691

ongoing
**note overlaps **
LL Lowther B387 LL01-40 Replacement 968000 - 830001 LL40 last Lowther
Bailey B403 LL01-40 From 830000 LL01 first Bailey
lowest seen 739xxx ongoing
£20 Smith AL Bailey B405 AL01-40 Column sort

lowest seen 302xxx

ongoing
LL Bailey B406 LL01-40 Replacement lowest seen 841xxx ongoing
£50 Houblon  L Kentfield B377 L01-35 Column sort seen to 952xxx cont'd in Lowther
Lowther B385 L01-35 900000 - 877001 cont'd in Bailey
Lowther B385 L36-70 999000 - 919001 cont'd in Bailey
Bailey B404 L01-35 From 877000  

lowest seen 324240

ongoing
Bailey B404 L36-70 919000 - 839001 ongoing
LL Kentfield B379 LL01-35 Replacement 999000 - 993001 Qty issued 210,000
Lowther B - - - LL01-35 not seen none printed
Bailey B - - - LL01-35 not seen not expected
M Kentfield B378 M99 Experimental known to 948001 M99 only
Lowther B385 M01-35 standard issue 999000 - 370001 cont'd in Bailey
Bailey B404 M01-35 standard issue 370000 - 000001
Bailey B404 M36-70 standard issue From 999000

lowest seen 159064

ongoing
16-Dec-08

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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