£10 note

We first issued our current £10 note in 2017 - it features the author Jane Austen.

Key facts

24 July 2013

Jane Austen announced as the face of the £10 note

14 September 2017

Current £10 note issued

5 June 2024

Issuance of banknotes featuring the portrait of King Charles III


Front of the Queen Elizabeth II note

Back of the Queen Elizabeth II note

Front of the King Charles III note

Back of the King Charles III note

Explore our £10 note

Drag the note or use the slider to find out about the features on the note

Hologram

The word changes between 'Ten' and 'Pounds' when the note is tilted.

See-through window

The foil is gold on the front of the note and silver on the back.

Raised dots

There are two clusters of raised dots in the top left hand corner to help blind and partially sighted people identify the value of the note.

Size

The higher the value of a note, the larger it is. This note is approximately 132mm x 69mm.

Copper foil patch

A book-shaped, copper foil patch contains the letters ‘JA’.

Historical character

Jane Austen's portrait was commissioned by her nephew in 1870.

Artwork

An illustration of Elizabeth Bennet, a character from Pride and Prejudice and Godmersham Park House.

Quote

'I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!' was said by Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice.

Signature

Jane Austen's signature is from her will.

Copyright symbols

The international copyright symbol is on the front and back of the note.

Unique numbering

The numbers and letters in the vertical serial number are all the same height and colour. The horizontal serial number is multi-coloured and increases in height from left to right.

Ultra-violet number

Under ultra-violet light, the number '10' appears in bright red and green, against a duller background.

Print quality

The printed lines and colours on the note are sharp, clear and free from smudges or blurred edges.

Print quality

The value of the note is written in tiny letters and numbers below the monarch's portrait. This is visible with a magnifying glass.

The monarch's portrait

A portrait of the monarch is printed on the window with '£10 Bank of England' printed twice around the edge.

Raised print

You can feel raised print on the words ‘Bank of England’ and in the bottom right corner, around the number 10.

Silver foil patch

A silver foil patch contains a 3D image of the coronation crown.

Colour-changing quill

The quill changes from purple to orange when you tilt the note.

Key security features

Focus on these two key security features to help confirm that your notes are genuine:

Hologram image change

Tilt the note from side to side.  Check the words change between 'Ten' and 'Pounds'.

See-through window

Look at the metallic image over the window. Check the foil is gold on the front of the note and silver on the back.

Other security features

Copper foil patch

A book-shaped, copper foil patch contains the letters ‘JA’. You will find this on the back of the note, directly behind the silver crown on the front of the note.

The monarch's portrait in the see-through window

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III is printed on the window with '£10 Bank of England’ printed twice around the edge.

Colour-changing quill


When you tilt the note, a coloured quill at the side of the see-through window will change from purple to orange.

Silver foil patch

A silver foil patch contains a 3D image of the coronation crown. You will find this above the see-through window on the front of the note. 

Feel of polymer and raised print

 

The note is printed on polymer, which is a thin and flexible plastic material.  On the front of the note, you can feel raised print. For example, on the words ‘Bank of England’ and in the bottom right corner, around the number '10'.

Print quality

 

The printed lines and colours on the note are sharp, clear and free from smudges or blurred edges. If you use a magnifying glass, you will see the value of the note written in small letters and numbers below the monarch's portrait. 

Ultraviolet number

 

Under a good quality ultra-violet light, the number '10' appears in bright red and green on the front of the note, against a duller background.

Design features

Tactile feature

On the front of the note (the side with raised print), there are two clusters of raised dots in the top left hand corner. This tactile feature helps blind and partially sighted people identify the value of the note.

Size

The higher the value of a note, the larger it is. This note is approximately 132mm x 69mm.

Unique numbering

A unique serial number is printed horizontally and vertically on the back of the note. The horizontal number is in the bottom right corner. It is made up of multi-coloured letters and numbers, which increase in height from left to right. The vertical number runs down the left-hand side and the numbers and letters are the same height and colour.

Copyright symbols

The international copyright symbol is included on the front and back of the note, below the ‘Ten Pounds’ text.

Historical character

Jane Austen's portrait was commissioned by James Edward Austen Leigh (Jane Austen’s nephew) in 1870, adapted from an original sketch drawn by her sister Cassandra Austen in 1810. 

Jane Austen was an English novelist who, using wit and social observation, provided astute insights into 19th century life, often praising the virtues of reason and intelligence and highlighting some of the barriers that society erected against the progression of women. Her books have been translated into over 40 languages of which there have been countless film and television adaptations.

Jane began to write when she was just 11 years old, and by the age of 23 she had already drafted early versions of some of her most famous novels, including Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. All of Jane’s work was published anonymously so, despite the fact her work was generally well received and even became fashionable in some circles, she achieved little recognition until after her death.

Artwork

There is an illustration of Elizabeth Bennet, a character from Pride and Prejudice. Beneath this image is Godmersham Park House, the estate owned by Jane Austen’s brother.

Quote

'I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!’ was said by Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice.

Signature

Jane Austen's signature is from her will.

Watch our short film showing the key security features on the £10 note

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Exchanging old notes

The current £10 note replaces our paper £10 note which was withdrawn from circulation on 1 March 2018.

You may be able to deposit withdrawn notes at your own bank or with the Post Office. Alternatively, you can exchange withdrawn banknotes with selected Post Office branches or with the Bank of England.

Current notes

This page was last updated 07 June 2024