Gibraltar and private bank note printer De La Rue jointly announced the issue of a new £5 note on Dec. 1.

The new note is slightly smaller in size than the one being replaced, so as to match the United Kingdom notes of the same denomination.

The press release from De La Rue, which actively promotes polymer at every opportunity, makes no mention of the composition. Gibraltar News said, “The new notes are not made of polymer due to the increased cost in their creation and the limited number of notes required in Gibraltar compared to countries like the UK.”

The new note is beige and green with a facing head of Queen Elizabeth on its face. The back shows the 233-foot-long Windsor Bridge, a pedestrian structure opened in 2016 and on a list of the 25 scariest bridges in the world. It is part of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, and while it is said to offer a spectacular view, it is also 160 feet above the ground. It also sways, but tourism officials say that adds to the thrill.

De La Rue describes the new note as a more secure and aesthetically pleasing update to the current notes. The design includes a new security thread with a tilt and movement effect and the denomination visible in the thread as microprinting. An ultraviolet feature is on the face of the note and a see-through panel is visible on the back.

The old note all have the serial number prefix A/AA and will be accepted by banks only until Jan. 31, 2022, when they will lose legal tender status. The new notes have the prefix letters B/AA.

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