British £1 Banknote Issued 1797

British pound banknotes were issued in early handwritten and engraved formats by the Bank of England including this £1 banknote from the 1797 issue. This £1 note forms part of the withdrawn historic series of British banknotes. This note was issued in 1797 during the Restriction Period and was later withdrawn from circulation as printed banknote designs replaced early manuscript issues.

This £1 paper banknote is printed in black ink on cream paper and is printed on one side only, with the reverse left blank. The design is dominated by handwritten and engraved elements typical of late eighteenth-century Bank of England notes. Across the top appears the printed heading “ONE” together with the issuing bank name BANK OF ENGLAND.

In the centre is the formal promise text reading “I promise to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of One Pound”, written partly in engraved script and partly completed by hand. The date and place of issue “London” are handwritten, along with the serial number at the top of the note. At the lower left appears an engraved ornamental panel containing the word “One” within a decorative scroll frame. The lower centre features an official rectangular Bank of England stamp dated “8 SEP 1797”, applied as a validation mark. Multiple handwritten cashier signatures appear across the note, confirming its authenticity and value.

The reverse of this note is unprinted, reflecting the earliest Bank of England production methods, with security relying on specialised paper, watermarks, handwritten numbering and official ink stamps rather than a printed reverse design.

• Indicate the quantity of £1 banknotes you want to exchange

• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button

• Your online account now shows the exchange value

If you have additional notes and coins you wish to exchange, please follow the steps above. Once you are finished, head over to checkout to complete the transaction.

Please note that for rarer banknotes such as this, processing will take longer than 5 days as additional authenticity checks are required. Where only partial banknotes are available, all such notes are reviewed on receipt before we confirm acceptance for exchange.

For all high-value transactions, we will require valid identification in order to comply with Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (AMLR).

If you are looking to exchange old British banknotes, we provide a fast, secure and trusted UK service for exchanging withdrawn Bank of England notes, including rare historic £1 notes from the eighteenth century. Many banks no longer accept early manuscript and engraved notes, but we specialise in exchanging discontinued British currency and paying you directly into your UK bank account.

Whether you have a single historic note or a collection of withdrawn British banknotes, our simple online system makes it easy to exchange your old currency quickly and safely. Do not let your withdrawn 1797 £1 banknotes go to waste — add your notes to your account today and convert your old British banknotes into cash with a reliable UK currency exchange specialist.