De La Rue and the States of Guernsey said on Jan. 19 that the self-governing British Crown dependency in the English Channel is introducing innovative new security features on its cotton paper £5, £10 and £20 notes.

The bigger news about these not-yet-issued notes is whether the portrait on the three notes continues to be that of Queen Elizabeth II, and a relatively older one at that. The statement from De La Rue explains, “Discussions have begun on the introduction of new imagery, and more details on this will follow in due course.”

The new security feature for the £5 note is an updated holographic security thread called Pureimage. Three leopards and the £5 symbol switch from dark to light when tilted in any direction.

The updated security thread on the £10 is called Ignite. It is of a custom design with a strong blue/green color shift and a pulsing pattern that shows a dynamic effect when tilted in any direction.

The £20 note has what De La Rue calls Nexus. It is an 18-millimeter embedded stripe in magenta with 3D movement within the petals of the flower. The effect can be viewed on an east/west tilt. The exceptionally large surface area enables large, memorable designs which enable easy public recognition.

Ruth Euling, managing director of De La Rue’s Currency Division, says these new features will become the new norm around the world for its cotton paper bank notes. She calls Guernsey an ideal location to introduce modern technology due to the nature and size of the currency’s circulation.

Thomas De La Rue, the founder of the firm that bears his name was born in Guernsey and moved to London in 1816 where he established his printing company in 1830. Bethan Haines, the state’s treasurer said, “Thomas De La Rue is one of Guernsey’s most famous historic figures and De La Rue has made a real mark on the world over the past two hundred years.  It is wonderful to celebrate his success by continuing to work with De La Rue on our own notes which are also an important part of the character of our Island.”

Guernsey currently has £51 million worth of paper currency in circulation.

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