Provincial Bank of Ireland Blue Notes 1903-1919

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 08 Mar 2018 20:47

The Provincial Bank of Ireland issued an attractive series of blue multi-branch notes from 1903-1919. Blue notes are known for the £1, £3, £5, £10 and £20 denominations. No issued examples of the £50 and £100 notes are known but these may have been black and white in colour.

Notes of this series are scarce with issued non-cancelled, cut-cancelled and proof notes available to collectors. Examples of each type are attached for the £1 notes. In general, notes of this series appear to have been signed by branch managers although other officials in the bank branches sometimes signed them.

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 12 Mar 2018 22:35

Provincial Bank £3 Blue notes are very rare even in cut cancelled form. One of the few known examples is attached.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » 16 Mar 2018 15:33

The blue £3 and £20 notes are both very rare, likely with low printages.

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 21 Mar 2018 19:35

Yes, the £3 and £20 denominations are very rare. I have only seen one example of a £20, a nice issued non-cancelled note with signature W.H.Baker. If anyone knows of any other examples even in cut-cancelled or proof form, it would be interesting to hear about their details.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » 23 Mar 2018 17:51

The Provincial Bank appears to have been a bit uncertain as to how to approach prefixing on the blue notes. When the £1 notes were introduced they started out with prefix A/5, illustrated, continuing from the earlier all-black series. Then the serial numbers were reset to start again at 1, and continuing with single letter prefixes starting at A.
Notes without prefix, and letters A to G all appeared on banknotes dated 2 November 1903. Thereafter most dates used one prefix only, which was how the bank's £1 notes had previously been issued.

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 26 Mar 2018 20:09

Interesting observation. It seems that The Provincial Bank considered the blue notes to be just a continuation of the black and white series. The £5 notes started with prefix F which was a continuation from the last black and white notes. However, there appears to have been a change of mind with the adoption of a new sequence in 1904. Examples attached.

I wonder what prompted the change of mind? One possibility is that a colour change was regarded as significant by users of the notes and the bank reacted to this.

ThePloughman · Post by **ThePloughman** » 01 Apr 2018 00:01

I guess they might have decided to restart numbers on all the denominations once they did so on the £1 notes. It kinda fits datewise.

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 07 Apr 2018 10:25

The blue £10 denomination is seldom offered. Black & white proofs and issued non-cancelled notes are known. Examples attached. An example issued in 1919 has also been recorded.