How do past £20 notes measure up against the new JMW Turner version?

Artist JMW Turner follows the likes of William Shakespeare and Edward Elgar in appearing on the Bank of England’s £20 notes.

Here is a look at past £20 notes that the Bank has produced:

– William Shakespeare

First issued on July 9 1970, this banknote measured 160mm by 90mm.

A new security thread was added to the banknote in 1984.

– Michael Faraday

The note celebrating scientist Faraday was first issued in June 1991.

A revised version was later issued in 1993, which changed the colour of the £20 symbol in the top corner to a darker purple, among other alterations.

Its size was 149mm by 80mm – so it was smaller than the Shakespeare £20 note.

– Edward Elgar

Issued from 1999, this tribute to composer Elgar had additional security features such as a foil hologram, an ultra-violet feature and micro-lettering.

Measuring 149mm by 80mm, it was the same size as the Faraday £20.

– Adam Smith

The last of the Bank of England’s paper £20 notes, it is still in circulation, for now, and will eventually be replaced by the polymer JMW Turner £20.

Issued from March 2007, the Smith note’s security features include a hologram which changes between a pound symbol and the number 20 when the note is tilted.

Like some of its predecessors, the note featuring economist Smith is also around 149mm by 80mm in size.

The Bank will give six months’ notice of the withdrawal date for the Smith note.