That said, the notes currently in circulation are beginning to look a little tired. They were designed 18 years ago, so it is hardly surprising that they are starting to appear dated. It is just as well, therefore, that a new issue is being planned and that in February next year a completely fresh set of notes will enter circulation.
Full details of the new designs are still under wraps, but the glimpse of the proposed £50 note that we have been granted suggests that radical changes are likely. We are also told that the new notes will feature the latest security devices to thwart forgers.
Predictably, the notes will feature Island scenes, but as yet there is no indication that the Jersey cow watermark – surely the most unusual feature of the notes we now use – will be retained.
We do, however, know that the denomination of the new notes will be printed in French and Jersey Norman-French as well as in English. Although some will undoubtedly say that this is a meaningless affectation in a principally Anglophone community, these other languages will serve as reminders of our linguistic heritage.
If constant usage and familiarity make our notes and coins commonplace, they are talking points for those who visit the Island. They are also collectors’ items, and one of the planned new notes, the £100, is being aimed at this market – though given the way prices are moving, a note of that value would be useful in everyday commerce.
Meanwhile, we should remain aware that there is rather more to Jersey notes and coins than meets the eye. We actually make money out of them. The banks effectively buy what goes into circulation and the public purse benefits through receiving tax-free interest on what is paid while it can be held on deposit.
Using Jersey currency as opposed to UK notes can therefore be seen as a civic duty as well as a way of reinforcing the idea that the Island is proud of its unique identity while remaining entirely content with its special relationship with the Crown and its membership of the sterling club.
