Front of note Rear 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 Rear of note
Front of note / Look / Print Quality Front of note / Look / Print Quality
Front of note / Look / Watermark Front of note / Look / Watermark
Front of note / Look / Security Thread Front of note / Look / Security Thread
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 / Paper Quality Front of note / Feel / Paper Quality
Front of note / Feel / Raised Print Front of note / Feel / Raised Print
Front of note / Tilt / Hologram Front of note / Tilt / Hologram
Front of note / Tilt / Lift Classic Front of note / Tilt / Lift Classic
Front of note / Check / Compare Front of note / Check / Compare
Front of note / Check / UV Fluorescence Front of note / Check / Gemini UV Printing
Rear of note / Look / Print Quality Rear of note / Look / Print Quality
Rear of note / Look / Watermark Rear of note / Look / Watermark
Rear of note / Look / See Through Rear of note / Look / See Through
Rear of note / Look / Denomination Numerals Rear of note / Look / Denomination Numerals
Rear of note / Feel / Polymer Quality Rear of note / Feel / Polymer Quality
Rear of note / Check / Compare Rear of note / Check / Compare
Rear of note / Check / UV Fluorescence Rear of note / Check / UV Fluorescence
First Trust Bank £50 note
The Armada Series
Size: 156mm x 85mm
Colour: Green
Design Features: (click to highlight an area of interest)
  • Medal commemorating the defeat of the Spanish Armada dated 1588 and the words 'COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL 1588'
  • 2 cherubs
  • The Reverse of the medal with the inscription 'ALLIDOR NON LEDOR'
  • A necklace pendant
  • A large 50 filled with Celtic patterns and a small 50 set within an ornate broach
  • Celtic patterns
First Trust Bank £50 note
The Armada Series
Size: 156mm x 85mm
Colour: Green
Design Features: (click to highlight an area of interest)
  • Portrait of an old man
  • Heraldic shields each representing one of the six counties of Northern Ireland
  • Background image of a statue of a boy with 2 horses
  • A Triskel design
  • First Trust Bank 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: Watermark
Hold the note up to the light. You should see a WATERMARK image of a young boy. The watermark is visible from both the front and back of the note. Watermark
Look: Security Thread
The SECURITY THREAD is visible as silver dashes when the note is laid flat, but when held up to the light the thread becomes visible as a continuous line running from the top of the note, on the left of the portrait, to the bottom of the note. If you look closely you will see the words 'First Trust' written within the thread. Security Thread
Look: Microprint
When the background areas of the note are examined closely with a good quality magnifying glass you will find 'FIRST TRUST BANK' written repeatedly. The number '50' can also be found written repeatedly within the denomination numeral in the bottom left corner and in the circular area surrounding the promise to pay. Microprint
Look: Serial Numbers
Each note has a unique serial number which is printed twice on the front of the note horizontally on the upper left and bottom right. Serial numbers for the £50 note are black and consist of two letters followed by six numbers. The numbers and letters in the bottom right serial number are all the same size whereas the upper left increase in size from left to right. Serial Numbers
Look: Denomination Numerals
The number '50' accompanied by a £ sign appears in the top right and bottom left corners on the front of the note. Denomination Numerals
Feel: Paper Quality
The paper should feel crisp - not limp, waxy or shiny. Paper Quality
Feel: Raised Print
You will feel raised print if you run your finger over:
  • The First Trust Bank name and logo
  • The 6 shields
  • All writing including signatures
  • The denomination numerals in the bottom left corner
  • Both serial numbers
  • The 8 curved lines on the left of the note
Raised Print
Tilt: Hologram
The denomination numeral in the top right corner of the note is printed over a silver foil containing holographic images. When the note is tilted back and forward images of the First Trust Bank logo and the words FIRST TRUST BANK appear in a tiled formation. Hologram
Tilt: Lift Classic
If you tilt the front of the note away from you at an oblique angle and look along its breadth you will see the numerical value of the note appear within the Triskel in the bottom right corner on the front of the note. Lift Classic
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: UV Fluorescence
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, you will see highlighted on the front of the note a four-line horizontal and a four-line vertical barcode together with parts of the left and right edges of the note will fluoresce. UV Fluorescence
Look: Print Quality
Lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. Colours should be clear and distinct. Print Quality
Look: Watermark
Hold the note up to the light. You should see a WATERMARK image of image of a young boy. The watermark is visible from both the front and back of the note. Watermark
Look: Security Thread
The SECURITY THREAD is not visible when the note is laid flat, but when the note is held up to the light the thread becomes visible as a continuous line running from the top of the note to the bottom. If you look closely you will see the words 'First Trust' written within the thread. Security Thread
Look: Denomination Numerals
The number '50' accompanied by a £ sign appears in the bottom right corners on the back of the note. The 50 is also incorporated into the design of the note on the left-hand side Denomination Numerals
Feel: Paper Quality
The paper should feel crisp - not limp, waxy or shiny. Polymer Quality
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: UV Fluorescence
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, the outline of the large 50 and the surrounding area on the left of the note will fluoresce. You will also see a band of fluorescence on the right of the note running vertically from top to bottom. UV Fluorescence
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