5 pounds 1976
Market Prices
10 salesAbout This Note
An exceptional uncirculated example of the Clydesdale Bank Limited 5 Pounds note from 1976, featuring the iconic portrait of Scottish poet Robert Burns on the obverse. The reverse displays an intricately engraved harvest mouse among flowering plants, reflecting Burns' literary connection to nature. In UNC condition with sharp printing, crisp details, and no signs of circulation, this note represents a pristine specimen of Scottish banknote artistry from the mid-1970s.
Common. This is a regular issue note from Clydesdale Bank's standard 1974-1980 series. The eBay price data confirms common market status: UNC specimens catalog at $120 (2019 values), with recent sales of UNC/EF examples ranging from $18-$86, averaging well below $50 for circulated grades. Notes in this denomination, issuer, and date range remain readily available in the collector market, indicating no supply scarcity despite the specific 1976 date variant.
This 1976 note was issued during Clydesdale Bank's period of banknote production spanning 1974-1980, continuing Scotland's tradition of regional currency issuing. The depiction of Robert Burns—Scotland's national poet—alongside botanical imagery (specifically a harvest mouse and rose from Burns' own poetry) reflects the deep cultural integration of Scottish literature and nature into the bank's design philosophy during the 1970s.
The obverse prominently features Robert Burns, the 18th-century Scottish poet, depicted in formal historical attire with period styling, positioned on the left side of the note. Decorative botanical elements—wheat or grain stalks—flank the portrait, symbolizing Burns' connection to rural Scottish life and his poem 'To a Mouse.' The reverse showcases a meticulously engraved harvest mouse (the subject of Burns' famous poem) positioned among tall flowering plants, likely foxgloves, with detailed ground elements including scattered pebbles and dense vegetation. Large circular rosette security patterns containing the numeral '5' appear in the top corners of both sides. The entire design is unified by an ornate wavy guilloché security pattern in multicolors (green, blue, red accents on a grayish-lilac base) covering the background.
Front side: 'CLYDESDALE BANK LIMITED' (bank issuer); 'PROMISE TO PAY TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND AT THEIR OFFICE HERE' (legal promise); 'FIVE POUNDS' (denomination); 'BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' (authorization); 'CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER' (signature authority); 'GLASGOW 2nd FEBRUARY 1976' (issue date and location); 'ROBERT BURNS' (portrait identification); 'D BH 003621' (serial number). Back side: '5' (denomination indicator); Additional reference numbers visible at bottom of reverse.
Steel engraving with fine line work and complex cross-hatching, characteristic of high-security banknote production. The note features multiple colored guilloché patterns (security background lines in green, blue, and red), intricate botanical and animal illustration engraving, and fine line denomination rosettes. This represents the classical intaglio printing methods used by major security printers for British regional banknotes during the 1970s. The printer for Clydesdale Bank's 1976 issue was likely De La Rue or a similar specialized security printer, though specific attribution is not confirmed in the provided catalog data.
This specific note represents the 2.2.1976 issue date variety within the broader 1971-1980 Clydesdale Bank 5 Pounds series (Pick 205c). The serial number prefix 'D BH' and the date 'GLASGOW 2nd FEBRUARY 1976' confirm this as the February 1976 printing. The signature title reads 'CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER' as documented in catalog references. No overprints or unusual varieties are visible in this uncirculated example.
