Manx Pound - Banknotes

Banknotes

In 1865, the Isle of Man Banking Company was founded and began issuing one pound notes, with five pound notes introduced in 1894. The bank changed its name to the Isle of Man Bank in 1926. Other banks which issued notes (one pound only) on the Isle of Man were:

Bank	Dates
Barclays Bank	1924–1960

Lloyds Bank	1919–1961

Manx Bank	1882–1900
Mercantile Bank of Lancashire	1901–1902
Lancashire & Yorkshire Bank	1904–1927
Martins Bank	1928–1957

Parr’s Bank	1900–1916
London County Westminster and Parr's Bank	1918–1921
Westminster Bank	1923–1961

The passage of the Isle of Man Government Notes Act revoked the banks' licences to issue banknotes as of 31 July 1961. The Isle of Man Government started to issue its own notes, in denominations of 10 shillings, 1 pound, and 5 pounds on 3 July 1961. In 1969, the 10-shilling note was replaced by a 50-pence note in the build-up to decimalization. 20-pound notes were introduced in 1979. In 1983, a polymer 1-pound note was introduced but discontinued from 1988. A 50-pound note was also introduced in 1983. The 50-pence banknote was withdrawn in 1989.

The Isle of Man continues to issue a 1-pound note in addition to the 1-pound coin (in the UK, with the exception of those issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, the 1-pound note has now been discontinued).

The front of all Manx banknotes have a pledge to honour the banknotes (the "promise to pay the bearer on demand") in the name of the Isle of Man Government, and feature images of Queen Elizabeth II (not wearing a crown) and the triskelion (three legs emblem) and motto. The triskelion symbol is also used as a watermark. Each denomination features a different scene of the Island on its reverse side:

£1 - Tynwald Hill
£5 - Castle Rushen
£10 - Peel Castle
£20 - the Laxey Wheel
£50 - Douglas Bay

The Manx 5-pound note is the only known banknote to picture a pub on it. In the bottom left-hand corner of the reverse, the Castle Arms (known as the Glue Pot) is shown opposite Castle Rushen, Castletown.