Mark Carney (R), Governor of the Bank of England, and Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain, pose for photographs with the new 20 pound notes in front of the self-portrait of Joseph Mallord William Turner at Tate Britain in London, Britain, on Feb. 20, 2020. Deemed as "the most secure ever" note issued by the Bank of England, the latest 20 pound note has gone into circulation Thursday. The new polymer note features the famous English watercolor artist Joseph Mallord William Turner. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)
LONDON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Deemed as "the most secure ever" note issued by the Bank of England, the latest 20 pound note has gone into circulation Thursday.
The new polymer note features the famous English watercolor artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, joining the Winston Churchill 5 pound note and the Jane Austen 10 pound note, among others, already in circulation. A new polymer 50 pound featuring code breaker Alan Turing will be issued next year.
Launched at Tate Britain, which houses a large number of paintings and drawings under The Turner Bequest, the new 20 pound note includes two see-through windows and a two-color foil, making it very difficult to counterfeit.
The Bank of England expects half of all ATMs across the country to be dispensing the new 20 pound notes within two weeks.
The old 20 pound notes can continue to be used as normal and the Bank of England will give six months' notice ahead of legal tender status being withdrawn. There are over 2 billion old 20 pound notes in circulation.
