1 pound 1979
Market Prices
17 salesAbout This Note
An exceptional example of the 1979 Provincial Bank of Ireland Limited 1 pound note in uncirculated condition, featuring vibrant green and multicolored design work. The obverse displays a portrait of a young woman with crisp fine-line engraving, while the reverse showcases the historically significant sailing ship Girona in an ornate oval frame. This note exemplifies the high quality of Thomas de la Rue's banknote printing during the late 1970s and represents a desirable regional currency issue from Northern Ireland.
Common. The eBay price tracking data consistently shows sales between $16–$37.50 USD across various grades from 2012–2024, with UNC examples regularly selling in the $20–$25 range. The 2019 catalogue value of $37.50 for UNC further confirms this is an actively traded, commonly available note. Provincial Bank of Ireland notes from this period were issued in substantial quantities and remain readily obtainable in the collector market.
This 1979 note was issued by the Provincial Bank of Ireland Limited, a member bank of Allied Irish Banks, reflecting the post-independence financial structure of Northern Ireland during the late 1970s. The reverse imagery of the Girona—a Spanish galleon that sank off the Irish coast in 1588—connects the note to maritime history and Irish cultural heritage. The establishment date of 1825 printed on the obverse underscores the bank's long institutional history predating modern Irish independence.
The obverse features a portrait of a young woman with short dark hair positioned on the right side, rendered in classical banknote engraving style against an intricate green and multicolored background of geometric patterns and Celtic-inspired scrollwork. The center of the note displays the denomination and promise to pay clause, with heraldic shields (approximately eight in a row) representing Irish regional coats of arms at the bottom center. The reverse presents the three-masted sailing vessel Girona—the Spanish galleon lost in 1588—centered within an ornate oval frame surrounded by elaborate Celtic interlace patterns and rosette designs. The dominant color palette of green, brown, pink/mauve, and white creates a harmonious and distinctly Irish aesthetic throughout both sides.
FRONT SIDE: 'Provincial Bank of Ireland Limited' / '(A MEMBER BANK OF ALLIED IRISH BANKS LTD) Established in London 1825' / 'PROMISE TO PAY THE BEARER ON DEMAND ONE POUND AT BELFAST' / '1ST JANUARY 1979' / 'FOR PROVINCIAL BANK OF IRELAND LIMITED' / 'MANAGER' / Serial number: PN1749087 (printed top right and bottom right). BACK SIDE: 'POUND STERLING' / 'One Pound' / 'THE GIRONA' / Denomination numeral '1' in left corner.
Intaglio engraving (line engraving) executed by Thomas de la Rue, London, the primary security printer for British and Commonwealth banknotes. The fine-line engraving patterns visible throughout both sides, the intricate geometric backgrounds, and the detailed ship illustration are characteristic of traditional intaglio banknote production. The crisp registration and sharp detail work observed in the uncirculated condition exemplify the high standards of late 1970s security printing.
This specific note is dated 1ST JANUARY 1979 with serial number PN1749087 (prefix PN). The Provincial Bank of Ireland issued 1 pound notes in both 1977 and 1979 according to catalog references; this specimen represents the later 1979 issue. No signature varieties or significant overprints are evident in the visual analysis. The Pick catalog designation P-247b likely indicates a specific catalogued variety, possibly distinguishing this 1979 printing from the earlier 1977 issue (potentially P-247a).
