IT’S plastic, features the face of Winston Churchill and, like the wartime leader, is pretty tough.
The new £5 polymer note is being launched in England and Wales today, but most people will have to wait up to a week to get their hands on one.
The first ATMs to stock them are in Leeds, Hull, Manchester, London, Birmingham and Cardiff - although only a small percentage of cash machines actually dispense fivers.
Bank branches are expected to have the new notes within a week, so if you really need one, pay a visit to the bank.
The Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, said the new £5 notes were safer and stronger.
“The use of polymer means it can better withstand being repeatedly folded into wallets or scrunched up inside pockets, and can also survive a spin in the washing machine,” he said.
A transparent window and other security features will make it much harder to copy.
The plastic notes have a lifespan of around five years, compared with the current note’s two years.
The old £5 note will be legal tender until May 5 next year. Further polymer banknotes will follow next summer with the issuing of £10 notes featuring Jane Austen.
