I'm a Canadian with the above notes to which the banks here will not accept; are they still valid? I would guess yes but want to ask here first. Ta!

by LangleyMan2000

32 comments

  1. I think the top tenner is new enough, the rest are old and not in circulation, no store takes 1 pound notes now either.

    The fivers should be fine to spend

  2. If any of them are paper they won’t be able to be used unfortunately

  3. They are valid, Scottish notes never ‘expire’.
    If in doubt, just take them to the bank.

  4. Personally I would hold them to put them in fire proof for save keeping.

  5. Unfortunately, I think you’d have to take them into a Scottish bank or post office to deposit into an account. None of them look to be in a condition suitable for sale to a collector.

    Edit/ they’re out of circulation, need to be deposited.

  6. Take them to a Scottish bank, they will exchange them for you

  7. The plastic 5er and the pound notes are, the rest you’ll have to take to a bank

  8. The £1 notes used to go for a fiver on eBay, might be worth a try

  9. There is no deadline to exchange old banknotes, but you have to do it directly with the issuing bank or their parent- in this case royal bank of Scotland and Clydesdale/virgin money

  10. I work in finance – they’re not legal tender so you can’t spend them, but your bank will deposit them into your current account.

    Edit: if you don’t have a UK bank account, see if you have any friends/family here that can pay them in for you to their UK bank account. If not, The Post Office will be able to do this for you.

  11. I’d keep a hold of the £1 notes personally but get the rest exchanged as others have mentioned 

  12. Over here, they’re all still legal tender, but several are withdrawn from circulation. So once spent our out in the bank, they’re sent to be destroyed. Collectors may be willing to pay more for the withdrawn, don’t look in great condition though

  13. Nope – though perhaps worth more than their face value to a collector.

  14. Canadian banks won’t be able to take them, so just save them for your next holiday and exchange them at a UK bank, or give them to someone you know is visiting with instructions to exchange at the bank only.

  15. Pop them in an envelope and send them to me. I’ll keep the two £1 notes and Revolut or PayPal you the rest. Or as others have said keep them in case you are planning on visiting the UK again and then swap them here.

  17. Your Canadian bank may not take them, they probably should do but might well just view the hassle of repatriating them way too much hassle. Which is understandable.

    Some others have said, if you pay them into a UK bank account then you’ll be fine. You could try shops and the like but that would more likely be successful in Scotland.

    The notes aren’t legal tender, but legal tender doesn’t mean much. A card payment isn’t legal tender. It’s just some archaic Bank of England stuff. The notes are legal currency, and that is what should matter.

    Worth noting that in Scotland no bank notes are legal tender, not even Bank of England ones. Even coins aren’t legal tender in certain circumstances, eg >£10 of 50p.

    If you want more on the legal position of Scottish bank notes, see here: [the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers site (the Scottish note issuing banks)](https://www.scotbanks.org.uk/banknotes/legal-position.html)

  18. You can’t spend them in a shop. You can deposit to a uk bank account in the branch

  22. £1 notes were done away with long ago (you can only get £1 coins now). As for the rest, most look to be the old paper notes. They have also been phased out. You do appear to have a £10 and a £5 note that look like they might be the newer polymer notes. If so, then those ones should still be fine. If unsure, try tearing them a little. If it tears easily, then it’s paper and isn’t valid. If it doesn’t tear and instead crumples, then it’s polymer and is valid.

  24. Ah, people are selling them on eBay x3 of the cost +6€ for shipping. I wish I could have one of them for the collection.

  25. Everyone arguing/ discussing about legal tender. Take it to a bank and exchange

  26. Ooh i’d love to buy a £1 off of u for my collection

  27. I’d keep the pound notes for sentimental value personally

  28. You can get more than face value on EBay with collectors

  29. Why does this give me nostalgia it’s not even been that long lol

  30. No, only plastic notes are valid ,paper was fazed out a while ago the bank might change them? But shops won’t and are not obligated to either, I thought the change was well advertised at the time?

  31. No, but your bank will take them for deposit, or probably a Post Office counter

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