Time nearly up for the old paper £10 note

There are still around 211 million paper £10 notes in circulation, but they will no longer be legal tender later this week.
Check your £10 notes. Photo: Bank of EnglandCheck your £10 notes. Photo: Bank of England
Check your £10 notes. Photo: Bank of England

The Bank of England is encouraging anyone still in possession of the paper £10 note featuring Charles Darwin to use them before 11.59pm on Thursday (March 1).

Over 73 per cent of £10 notes in circulation are polymer.

However, put the 211 million paper notes still around end to end, and that’s enough notes to retrace almost half of Darwin’s journey on HMS Beagle.

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Or, these would weigh the same as nearly 2,000 giant Galápagos tortoises that Darwin saw on his travels.

After March 1, the new polymer note featuring Jane Austen will be the only £10 note with legal tender status.

Some banks and building societies may accept paper £10 notes after Thursday but this is at their own discretion.

Most retailers will no longer accept the paper £10 note as payment.

The Bank of England says it will continue to exchange Darwin £10 notes for all time, as it would for any other Bank of England note which no longer has legal tender status.

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