The £1 note featured Isaac Newton on its reverse from 1978 until its withdrawal in 1988.
This was the Bank of England’s Series D one-pound note, introduced on 9 February 1978. Queen Elizabeth II appeared on the front, while Newton appeared on the back alongside imagery connected with his scientific work and his career at the Royal Mint.
The note belonged to a pictorial series that placed famous historical figures on British currency. Other Series D denominations featured figures such as the Duke of Wellington, Florence Nightingale, William Shakespeare and Christopher Wren, so Newton’s appearance is sometimes mistakenly associated with a higher-value note.
Inflation made the £1 note increasingly uneconomical to produce because its short average circulation life meant frequent replacement. A new one-pound coin was introduced in 1983, and the paper note ceased to be legal tender on 11 March 1988. The Bank of England still exchanges withdrawn notes at face value.