The UK’s update of its paper money to polymer notes saw its next steps in the announcement that the computer programmer Alan Turing will feature on the country’s new £50 bill.
It was something of a giveaway that the announcement was made at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, the city in which he studied, with Manchester University naming its Alan Turing building after him.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney also revealed the imagery that will adorn one side of the currency.
Turing was famed for cracking the enigma code, helping to end WWII an estimated two years earlier. However, this only came to light after this death in 1954, so the note will serve to honour his service posthumously.
Having successfully moved to polymer with the £5 and £10 note, the new £20 note, depicting the British artist William Turner, will be issued in 2020.
The new notes were created to be cleaner, safer and stronger and are harder to counterfeit with an increased quality of notes in circulation. They also last around 2.5 times longer than paper notes and are more environmentally friendly. It is expected to be in circulation by the end of 2021.
