1 pound 1967

Common. This is a regular issue banknote from a well-established Scottish bank with substantial print runs across its four-year issuance period (1963-1967). The eBay price data provided confirms this assessment, showing typical market values of $18.50–$95.45 depending on condition grade, with a PMG 64 example trading for $48 in 2018. These price points are consistent with common circulating-issue banknotes rather than rare or scarce material. The 1967 date does not represent the final issue (notes continued through April 3, 1967), and no evidence suggests limited production runs or recall. PMG 67 EPQ examples command modest premiums over lower grades but remain readily available in the collector market.

Issued between 1963 and April 3, 1967, this banknote was produced during a period of significant change in Scottish banking and currency. The Clydesdale Bank Limited, one of Scotland's three note-issuing banks, maintained this design to celebrate the region's industrial and maritime prowess, specifically the legendary shipbuilding yards of the River Clyde near Glasgow. The date marking the end of this series (3rd April 1967) reflects the bank's transition to subsequent designs, making notes from the final months of issuance particularly notable to collectors.

The obverse features a formal heraldic design centered on the Clydesdale Bank's coat of arms, rendered with lion supporters and elaborate ornamental detailing characteristic of 1960s Scottish banking notes. The arms are positioned in the center-right area within an ornate frame, flanked by numeral '1' counters in decorative corners. Celtic-inspired geometric borders and fine-line patterns frame the entire design in green with cream and pink accents. The reverse depicts a romanticized industrial harbor scene of the River Clyde during its golden age of shipbuilding, showing a large cargo vessel under construction or being serviced alongside a smaller tugboat, with visible crane infrastructure and dock installations. This reverse imagery directly references Glasgow's historic role as a major world shipbuilding center, making the note both a currency document and a celebration of Scottish industrial achievement.

FRONT SIDE: 'Clydesdale Bank Limited' (bank name); 'GLASGOW, 3RD APRIL 1967' (issuing location and date); 'I PROMISE TO PAY TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND AT THEIR OFFICE HERE' (standard bank promise); 'ONE POUND' (denomination); 'BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' (authorization); 'GENERAL MANAGER' (authorized signature designation); 'LITORE AD LITUS' (Latin: 'From Shore to Shore'—the bank's motto); Serial number 'C/K 399903'. BACK SIDE: 'Clydesdale Bank Limited' (repeated bank name); '1' (denomination marker).

Intaglio engraving (steel plate engraving and printing), executed by Thomas de la Rue, London—the preeminent British security printer of the period. The visual analysis confirms the characteristic features of high-quality intaglio work: crisp, deeply engraved fine lines, precise geometric patterns, complex cross-hatching for tonal variation, and the elevated ink impression visible in the sharp detail of both the heraldic imagery and the intricate maritime scene. The security features include the complexity of the engraved design itself, which would have been extremely difficult to counterfeit using contemporary printing technologies.

This specific example is dated 3rd April 1967 and bears serial number C/K 399903 with the 'C/K' prefix. The date places this note in the final days of the Clydesdale Bank Limited's issuance under Pick P-197, before the transition to the subsequent design (P-198 series for Clydesdale & North of Scotland Bank Ltd., per the reference data). The 'C' prefix in the serial number is typical for notes in this series. No overprints or error characteristics are noted. The exceptionally high PMG grade (67 EPQ) indicates this is an uncirculated specimen from original bank stock, making it a desirable example within this common issue for the collector seeking premium-grade material.