Just as you’d got used to the plastic fiver, money is changing yet again as a new £10 banknote featuring Jane Austen enters circulation.
The new tenner is the second polymer note to be released in the UK.
Paper fivers ceased to be legal tender in March this year, after the new polymer note was brought in last September.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new £10 note...
When will the new £10 be released?
The new £10 note was released on 14 September but it could be a few days before one is handed to you as change or dispensed from an ATM.
Where can I get a new-style £10 note?
The Bank of England hasn’t specified where exactly the new notes will first appear but they will start to filter into circulation through ATMs, banks and businesses.
According to the Cambridge News, ATMs in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Hull and Cardiff were among the first to stock the new £5 notes, so those cities could be your best bet if you’re itching to get your hands on a new tenner.
Who appears on the new £10 note?
The new £10 note features author Jane Austen, replacing Charles Darwin.
This is particularly fitting since 2017 marks the 200th anniversary of Austen’s death.
The note also features an image of Winchester Cathedral, where she is buried, and the quote – “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!”, from Pride and Prejudice.
What features will the new note have?
A series of raised dots in the top left-hand corner, developed in conjunction with the RNIB, to help visually impaired people identify the note
A see-through window featuring the Queen’s portrait.
A quill at the side of the window which changes from purple to orange.
A hologram which contains the word ‘Ten’ and changes to ‘Pounds’ when the note is tilted.
A hologram of the coronation crown which appears 3D and multi-coloured when the note is tilted.
A book-shaped copper foil patch which contains the letter JA.
Micro-lettering beneath the Queen’s portrait with tiny letters and numbers that are visible under a microscope.
The words ‘Bank of England’ printed in intaglio (raised ink) along the top of the note.
Will this note also have traces of animal fat in it?
Yes, the production process is the same at the new polymer £5 note.
This means there is a trace of tallow, a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, sometimes used in the production items including soap and candles, in the polymer pellets used.
What about the old-style £10 notes?
The old paper notes will be withdrawn from circulation in Spring 2018, although there is not yet a specific date for this.
Are there more polymer notes coming?
A new polymer £20 note featuring artist JW Turner will be released in 2020.
The Bank of England says it does not currently have plans for replacing the current £50 note, which features engineers Matthew Boulton and James Watt.