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.

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 01 May 2022 11:35

Prior to 1922, Provincial Bank of Ireland notes were hand signed, usually by branch managers. Here is an interesting example where the bank manager, Samuel F. Anderson has signed notes from different series in slightly different format. The large size 1914 £1 is signed as ‘Samuel F. Anderson’ while the smaller 1921 £1 note is signed as ‘S.F. Anderson’. He was manager of the Kilkeel branch when these notes were signed.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » 11 May 2022 19:49

A nice pair of notes to see. He may have been signing more notes in 1921, and had to be faster at it!

DOC · Post by **DOC** » 06 Aug 2022 11:00

Here is an unusual example of a blue coloured Provincial Bank of Ireland £1 specimen note. Specimen notes from this era are generally observed in black and white format.