Front of note Rear of note Front of note Front of note Front of note Front of note Front of note Front of note Rear of note Rear of note Rear of note Rear of note Rear of note
Front of note / Look / Print Quality Front of note / Look / Print Quality
Front of note / Look / Transmission Front of note / Look / Transmission
Front of note / Look / Mask Front of note / Look / Mask
Front of note / Look / Security Thread Front of note / Look / Security Thread
Front of note / Look / See Through Front of note / Look / See Through
Front of note / Look / Microprint Front of note / Look / Microprint
Front of note / Look / Serial Numbers Front of note / Look / Serial Numbers
Front of note / Look / Denomination Numerals Front of note / Look / Denomination Numerals
Front of note / Feel / Polymer Quality Front of note / Feel / Polymer Quality
Front of note / Feel / Raised Print Front of note / Feel / Raised Print
Front of note / Feel / Embossed Numeral Front of note / Feel / Embossed Numeral
Front of note / Tilt / Iridescence Front of note / Tilt / Iridescence
Front of note / Tilt / Spark Front of note / Tilt / Spark
Front of note / Check / UV Fluorescence Front of note / Check / Gemini UV Printing
Front of note / Check / Gemini UV Printing Front of note / Check / Gemini UV Printing
Front of note / Check / Compare Front of note / Check / Compare
Rear of note / Check / Compare Rear of note / Check / Compare
Rear of note / Look / Print Quality Rear of note / Look / Print Quality
Rear of note / Look / Transmission Rear of note / Look / Transmission
Rear of note / Look / Transmission Rear of note / Look / Transmission
Rear of note / Look / Denomination Numerals Rear of note / Look / Denomination Numerals
Rear of note / Look / Microprint Rear of note / Look / Microprint
Rear of note / Look / Security Thread Rear of note / Look / Security Thread
Rear of note / Look / See Through Rear of note / Look / See Through
Rear of note / Feel / Polymer Quality Rear of note / Feel / Polymer Quality
Rear of note / Feel / Raised Print Rear of note / Feel / Raised Print
Rear of note / Tilt / Iridescence Rear of note / Tilt / Iridescence
Rear of note / Check / UV Fluorescence Rear of note / Check / UV Fluorescence
Rear of note / Check / Gemini UV Printing Rear of note / Check / Gemini UV Printing
Bank of Ireland £5 note
The Bushmills Polymer Series
Size: 125mm x 65mm
Colour: Blue
Design Features: (click to highlight an area of interest)
  • Vignette of The Old Bushmills Distillery.
  • Floral patterns.
  • The Head of Medusa.
  • The words ‘FIVE POUNDS’.
  • Bank of Ireland name and logo.
Bank of Ireland £5 note
The Bushmills Polymer Series
Size: 125mm x 65mm
Colour: Blue
Design Features: (click to highlight an area of interest)
  • Depiction of the seated Lady Hibernia.
  • The Latin motto of the Bank, Bona Fides Reipublicae Stabilitas ("Good Faith is the Cornerstone of the State").
  • Spark® OrbitalTM flower pattern.
  • Image of the head of Medusa.
  • Heraldic shields each representing one of the six counties of Northern Ireland.
  • Bank of Ireland name and logo.
Look: Print Quality
Lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. Colours should be clear and distinct. Print Quality
Look: Transmission
As the note is a polymer note there is no watermark, however due to the substrate used when the note is held up to the light you should be able to see visible images from the opposite side. Transmission
Look: Mask
If you look at the circular area to the left hand side of the domed roof you will see a thistle pattern but when held up to the light the number 5 appears. Mask
Look: Security Thread
Running vertically from top to bottom there is a printed security thread which incorporates the number ‘5’. The thread is visible on both the front and back of the note. Security Thread
Look: See Through
The head of Medusa appears within the large transparent window on the right side of the note when viewed from the front. See Through
Look: Microprint
When examined closely with a good quality magnifying glass the outside edge of the Latin moto surrounding the Lady Hibernia reads: 'BANKOFIRELANDFIVEPOUNDSBANKOFIRELANDFIVEPOUNDS'. Microprint
Look: Serial Numbers
Each note has a unique serial number which is printed twice on the front of the note, vertically on the upper left and horizontally on the bottom right. Serial numbers for the £5 note consist of two letters followed by six numbers which are all the same size. The horizontal serial number is black, and the vertical number is blue and will fluoresce under UV light. Serial Numbers
Look: Denomination Numerals
The number ‘5’ accompanied by a £ sign appears in the top right and bottom left corners on the front of the note. The number £5 can also be found within the spark flower pattern. Denomination Numerals
Feel: Polymer Quality
The note should feel smoother than a paper note, though this will reduce over time. Like paper notes, polymer notes have raised print giving them a tactile quality. Polymer Quality
Feel: Raised Print
you will feel raised print if you run your finger along:
  • The Bank of Ireland name and logo
  • The 6 shields and background pattern
  • All writing including signatures
  • The denomination numerals
  • The Bank of Ireland motto
Raised Print
Feel: Embossed Numeral
You will see a small number 5 embossed into the large window. You can also feel this with your fingertips. Embossed Numeral
Tilt: Iridescence
If you hold the note up to the light and tilt it back and forward, you will see flax flowers appear in shiny gold coloured ink. The number 5 will also be visible within one of flowers. Iridescence
Tilt: Spark® Orbital
The shiny metallic flower in the bottom right corner of the note will change colour from blue to green when you move the note around. You will also see an orbital effect as the note is tilted. Spark
Check: UV Fluorescence
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, you will see a solid rectangular block to the left of the Chief Financial Officers signature that will fluoresce. Within the block you will see a four-leaf clover pattern containing a number 5. The vertical serial number will also fluoresce. UV Fluorescence
Check: Gemini UV Printing
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, you will see there are areas of the note that appear as a single colour in daylight but fluoresce as two separate colours under ultra-violet light. An example of this are 2 of the thistles on the front of the note above the image of the Mound. Gemini UV Printing
Check: Compare
Always compare both sides of a suspect note with another note that you know to be genuine, looking for differences between the two. Make sure you check the size of a suspect note against a known genuine note. Compare Compare
Check: Compare
Always compare both sides of a suspect note with another note that you know to be genuine, looking for differences between the two. Make sure you check the size of a suspect note against a known genuine note. Compare Compare
Look: Print Quality
Lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. Colours should be clear and distinct. Print Quality
Look: Transmission
As the note is a polymer note there is no watermark, however due to the substrate used when the note is held up to the light you should be able to see visible images from the opposite side. Transmission
Look: Mask
If you look at the circular area to the right hand side of the domed roof when held up to the light the number 5 in reverse is visible. Transmission
Look: Denomination Numerals
The number ‘5’ accompanied by a £ sign appears in the top right and bottom left corners on the back of the note. Denomination Numerals
Look: Microprint
When examined closely with a good quality magnifying glass the top and bottom edges of the purple box containing the words ‘FIVE POUNDS’ reads: 'BANKOFIRELANDFIVEPOUNDSBANKOFIRELANDFIVEPOUNDS'. Microprint
Look: Security Thread
Running vertically from top to bottom there is a printed security thread which incorporates the number ‘5’. The thread is visible on both the front and back of the note. Security Thread
Look: See Through
When viewed from the back, the head of Medusa appears within the large transparent window on the left side of the note. See Through
Feel: Polymer Quality
The note should feel smoother than a paper note, though this will reduce over time. Like paper notes, polymer notes have raised print giving them a tactile quality. Polymer Quality
Feel: Raised Print
On the back of the note you will feel raised print if you run your finger along:
  • The Bank of Ireland name and logo
  • The denomination numerals
  • Vignette of The Old Bushmills Distillery
Raised Print
Tilt: Iridescence
The domed roof of The Mound is a shiny coloured ink that shimmers when you move the note around. Iridescence
Check: UV Fluorescence
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light the circular patterned cogs either side of the Bank of Ireland name and logo will fluoresce. UV Printing
Check: Gemini UV Printing
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, you will see there are areas of the note that appear as a single colour in daylight but fluoresce as two separate colours under ultra-violet. An example of this is the single thistle in the bottom right corner. Gemini UV Printing
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