Currency Great Britain 5 Pounds Banknote P-378e 1987-88 Somerset Prefix RB68 XF+
Description: A beautiful extremely fine or much better five English pound banknote. This banknote was issued in period 1987 through 1988 and has a blue-black and blue design on multi colored underprint. It shows a young Queen Elizabeth in court robes facing forward to the right of the front and displays the denomination. The back has the same color scheme as the front and displays the image of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Willington right of center and a battle scene in Spain left of center. The back also displays the denomination. The banknote has a watermark showing Duke Willington's head in a row on the right of the front. The note is signed by D. H. F. Somerset the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England at the time in black ink and has the letter "L" in the back at lower left as well as what we believe is a wide security thread. It has the prefix RB68. This particular note has the serial number 159954 and has the vertical wide security thread located right of center if you look at the front of the note. Please carefully review the scans as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: 1987-88.
Printer: Bank of England.
Size: Measures ~5 3/4" by ~3".
Pick Number: P 378e.
Condition: I would grade this banknote as a nice extremely fine or much better with all the details being very well preserved. The note shows some minor handling with light waves in the paper, a small loss in the top left corner and a bump in the low right corner with the rest of the corners being intact with minimum rounding. There is some black soiling or light staining on the back near the right top corner. The note retains quite a bit of its original stiffness and crispiness. Apart from the general waviness of the paper we do not see any distinct folds and definitely no creases. It is generally clean (except for noted soiling above) with no stains, no pinholes, no graffiti, and no tears or splits. The edges are intact and show no wear. The note is clean and bright with much of its original sheen. The note is just beautiful and in extremely fine condition. Please see photo for additional condition information.
