Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney has unveiled the design of the new polymer £20 note featuring the artist
JMW Turner. The new note enters circulation on 20 February 2020
- It contains sophisticated security features and is the most secure Bank of England banknote yet
- It’s polymer, just like the existing £5 and £10 notes
- It incorporates two see-through windows and a two-colour foil, making it very difficult to counterfeit
- There’s a metallic hologram which changes between the word ‘Twenty’ and ‘Pounds’ when the note is tilted
The £20 note is the most commonly counterfeited note. Materials to train staff can be found at www.thenew20.co.uk, and in preparation pawnbrokers can check out the NPA Banknotes Counterfeit course which has been updated with information on the new £20 note.
Even after the new polymer £20 note has been issued, you should continue to accept the paper. The public can still spend paper £20 notes as usual and these will be gradually withdrawn as they get deposited into banks by retailers and the public. The Bank of England will give six months’ notice ahead of legal tender withdrawal.