Following the introduction of the new £5 note last year, the Bank of England will soon issue the second
banknoteA banknote (or ‘bill’ as it is often referred to in the US) is a type of negotiable promissory note, issued by a bank or other licensed authority, payable to the bearer on demand. More of its new series, the £10. The design of the new note was unveiled a few days ago at Winchester Cathedral and honours the famous novelist Jane Austen. The new series is entirely made of
polymerA substrate used in the printing of banknotes, made of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) polymer. Polymer banknotes were first introduced in Australia and are widely used around the world. More and presents key figures of the British history on the back side of each note.
Jane Austen was a British novelist known for her critique and comment upon the British lan
ded gentry at the end of the 18th century, with novels including Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility. Nevertheless, few people know that Jane Austen also had a close connection with the banking world. Indeed, her favourite brother Henry was a financier owning numerous country banks notably in Petersfield and Alton. As a result, several banknotes bearing the name “Austen” have been issued, and some of these can still be found in Jane Austen’s House Museum. Furthermore, the Portal paperSee Banknote paper. More mill owned by Henry used to manufacture the paper for Bank of England’s banknotes and many other British banks until the 20th century.
Henry also acted as Jane’s informal literary agent. Indeed, he backed her works financially and helped her enter the marketplace notably by publicising her novels among his client book, which included influential politicians and Whig aristocrats. Nevertheless, after bad loans and economic storms, the banker went bankrupt and dragged his family along in his fall, who invested
moneyFrom the Latin word moneta, nickname that was given by Romans to the goddess Juno because there was a minting workshop next to her temple. Money is any item that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular region, country or socio-economic context. Its onset dates back to the origins of humanity and its physical representation has taken on very varied forms until the appearance of metal coins. The banknote, a typical representati... More in his affair. As a result, the Austen family kept Henry’s business failure quiet and various documents including letters were destroyed, explaining why Jane’s link to finances is little known. However, various articles have been published in recent years in the journal of Jane Austen Society presenting new archival evidence.
The new banknote will be issued on September 14, 2017. A large portrait of Jane Austen appears in the back side of the note, while the
frontFacade, face. See Obverse. More side features the portrait of the Queen Elizabeth II. Among the numerous security features, a see-through window integrates the Winchester Cathedral, where Jane Austen was buried exactly 200 years ago. For more information about the £10 note, please visit
Bank of England’s website dedicated to the new banknote.