THE traditional banknote is being turned on its head with the launch of the UK and Ireland's first 'vertical' currency.
Ulster Bank has developed the £5 and £10 polymer notes, which are portrait rather than the usual landscape shape and are based on a nature theme.
They were unveiled at an event in the bank's Andersonstown branch in Belfast and will enter circulation early next year.
The £5 note focuses on Northern Ireland as a place that people visit, highlighting the importance of the sea and migration and featuring Strangford Lough and Brent geese.
The £10 note features Lough Erne, Irish hare and Guelder-rose shrubs and represents the north as a place of growth, both in agriculture and heritage.
A king scallop from Strangford Lough also features on the designs, as does an Ulster Glade potato developed in Co Antrim.
The designs were developed by a panel of experts and people from across the country.
Les Matheson, chief executive officer, personal and business banking at RBS, Ulster Bank’s parent company, said: “These notes are a signal of our commitment to the heritage and brand of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland, demonstrating that we are an active and engaged part of the communities that we serve.”
Richard Donnan, head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland, added: “The notes will also contain advanced security features that will make the notes much harder to counterfeit – giving customers reassurance that their money is safe and secure.”
