The Royal Bank of Scotland has announced that it will issue its new polymer £10 banknote printed on SafeGuard® substrate on 4 October 2017.

It is the first time in thirty years that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has issued a new £10 banknote design.

The banknote denomination is the second in the RBS “Fabric of Nature” series, featuring an illustration of Scottish mathematician and astronomer Mary Somerville who died in 1872.

Image courtesy of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The note is 15% smaller than its paper predecessor and is printed by De La Rue (DLR) on its Safeguard® polymer substrate which, it says, is expected to last on average 2.5 times longer than paper banknotes.

Banknote security features include De La Rue’s SPARK® Orbital™ colour changing feature, positioned on a clear window so that it is visible from each side of the note.

It also includes a tactile security feature consisting of raised dots to assist those with visual impairments to identify the note’s denominations and assist the public to authenticate the note.

Speaking of the new RBS £10 banknote, De La Rue’s Ruth Euling said:

“We are proud to have partnered with the Royal Bank of Scotland on their first new £10 banknote in thirty years. Our design teams worked closely on the iconic concept and we look forward to our continued partnership.” Ruth Euling, Global Account Management Director, DLR

The new Royal Bank of Scotland £20

RBS has also revealed that the face of its £20 banknote will feature Scottish philanthropist and entrepreneur Catherine Cranston, famous for the Willow Tearooms which opened in Glasgow in 1903. The new £20 banknote will also be printed on Safeguard® polymer substrate and is expected to enter circulation in 2020.

Read the full press release from RBS.