The Lady with the Lamp: A Tribute to Florence Nightingale

Add a masterpiece of 20th-century engraving to your collection with this pristine, uncirculated Series D £10 note. This series was a landmark for the Bank of England, moving away from purely geometric patterns to celebrate the lives of great Britons. Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, was the first non-royal woman to be featured on a Bank of England note.

Historic & Design Highlights:

• Obverse (Front): Features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Peter Grugeon. In the center is a stylized lily, symbolic of purity and nursing. A small vignette of Britannia sits in the lower-left corner, maintaining a link to the Bank’s oldest traditions.

• Reverse (Back): A deeply evocative scene depicting Florence Nightingale (1820–1910). The background shows her working at the hospital in Scutari during the Crimean War, holding her iconic lamp while tending to wounded soldiers.

• Signatory: Features the signature of G.M. Gill (Graham Gill), who served as Chief Cashier from 1988 to 1991.

• Color Palette: A sophisticated blend of brown, orange, and tan, with subtle rainbow underprints in the center.

Item Details:

• Issuer: Bank of England.

• Series: Series D (Issued 1975–1994).

• Denomination: Ten Pounds (£10).

• Serial Number: HS23 100888 (Note the pleasing "triple 8" ending!).

Collector's Perspective: The Nightingale £10 is widely considered the most beautiful of the Series D notes. The G.M. Gill signature represents the final era of this design before it was replaced by the Series E Charles Dickens note. Finding these in bank-fresh HS prefix runs is an excellent opportunity for collectors seeking "Top Grade" examples of late 20th-century British paper.